Coincidence and Misunderstandings
by Silently Watches
Summary: The Azarathian coming of age is only a few short months away for Raven, and she is struggling with some ugly truths about herself. Can a bubblegum haired thief set her straight, or just confuse her even more? Raven/Jinx, AU
1. Catch and Release

**Okay, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this when I first created my account, but I just _have_ to contribute back to the fandom that got me hooked on fanfiction to begin with. I'm going to warn everyone now, all I know about TT comes from the cartoon, fanfiction, and a quick glance at Wikipedia, so I hereby invoke author's rights to ignore and change all aspects of canon that are in conflict with what's presented in this story. You have been warned.**

**There are several pairings that will be mentioned here, including Robin/Star, Cy/Bumblebee, former BB/Terra, former KF/Jinx, and one-sided BB/Raven. Raven/Jinx will be the main pairing, with my depiction of Jinx inspired heavily by that of the great and powerful SepticMind. Therefore, any hatemail goes to her! The title is, I think, the best summary for this story, so please keep it in mind throughout your reading.**

**Disclaimer:** Was Raven the leader and main character of Teen Titans? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 1  
****Catch and Release**

Most people ignore the sky, for there is rarely anything up there but birds and clouds. Anyone in Jump City making that mistake would then have missed the flight of one of their beloved protectors. Well, beloved as a group; few were comfortable around the individual currently in the city's airspace.

Raven was enjoying the solitude as much as her anger and hurt–no, _distress_–would allow. She rarely had an opportunity to have the city to herself. Each night, the surveillance from 6 in the evening to 3 in the morning was given to two teammates, who would split the city between them as they preferred. Tonight was her night to canvas Jump with Starfire, but the Tamaranean had finally found Earth food that did not agree with her nine stomachs. The curry she had eaten prompted an allergic reaction, and she was releasing small starbolts from her nose—"star-snot" according to Beast Boy—with every sneeze. They were never to patrol alone, but Raven was pushed to the side due to the boys' entire focus being on Star.

_It is just as well,_ thought Raven, _I can barely meditate with all the noise in the Tower, let alone properly reflect on my life!_ While she was normally quite content ignoring her past, here she had little choice. It was only two months to her nineteenth birthday, when she would have been celebrating her Ascension to adulthood on Azarath. It was an important occasion, even though her birthplace no longer existed and she had no one willing to celebrate with her any—

"Stop thinking about it," she voiced monotonously, for she would forever deny that there was even a hint of a snarl in her words. She understood intellectually that the boys cared primarily for the American culture and that Starfire had enough trouble with adapting to Earth customs without adding another, but that was no reason for them to make their lack of interest in _her_ home so obvious. It seemed they were constantly quizzing Star about the ways of her world, especially since her return trip two weeks ago. Bitterness provided her with no salve, but it took them a little more than _**three years**_ to even learn her birth date; she had a right to be bitter! And she apparently _couldn't_ stop thinking about it.

If it were not for Ascension, she would have an easier time ignoring these unpleasant facts. The time beforehand was meant for reflection, discerning and rejecting the lies of childhood in order to better accept the truths of adult life and take her place in society. She was the last follower of Azar, but that would not stop her from following the precepts; her dutiful reflection was bringing to light thoughts she would have preferred to stay unknown.

Robin had, as time progressed, become more and more like his mentor Batman. While not undesirable in and of itself, the fact remained that Batman was not a 'team player', even in his position within the Justice League. Robin was acting more distant, constantly double checking the activities of the other Titans. He had even requested she dissolve the tenuous mental connection they had shared since his exposure to Slade's postmortem hallucinogens; due to this, she could not verify her suspicions that he was assembling contingency plans covering each of his teammates.

Starfire had mostly adjusted to Earth, but she was facing greater and greater pressure to take the Tamaran throne. Galfore, Star's guardian after her parents' deaths, was still in the position of Grand Ruler, but the population was becoming dissatisfied with his rule due to his lack of blood connection to the imperial family. Her aforementioned visit had been meant for the express purpose of soothing the royal advisors' doubts. Even then, she was now planning on making it a routine event every five and a half months, apparently a time interval that had significance to Tamaraneans. She was in an on-again-off-again relationship with Robin and opposed him less and less with each renewal.

Cyborg was the teammate she trusted most, and perhaps the only one she could trust with anything. Much of his temper had cooled as he grew older, and at 21, he was the peacemaker in the Tower. When he wasn't tinkering on his pampered T-Car or cooling tempers, he isolated himself in his room pursuing his doctorates in robotics and electrical engineering or spent time with Titans East, more accurately with Bumblebee. Even though Raven missed his steadfastness, she sincerely wished them and their fledgling relationship good-fortune.

Beast Boy, well he was quite frankly even more of an irritant than Robin. His self-confidence had been cute in an annoying, childish manner when he was younger, but it evolved into self-aggrandizing arrogance after their battles with the Brotherhood of Evil. He had become the public face of the Titans, if only because his machismo appealed to that segment of the female population that possessed a fetish towards animals or green skin.

Even worse, the minor crush he had once had on her was reappearing. She thought he would take one of his admirers up on their offers, but he had seemingly set his sights on her, even after she made it clear through both words and actions that she had no interest. _Or perhaps I am simply overthinking the situation_, she admitted. She avoided 'peeking' into others' heads as much as possible, so it was possible there was another reason for his behavior. _Something to consider, at least_.

Individually, none of her teammates' flaws would be an issue for her, but together? They were enough that she routinely shut herself with her books and scrolls to fortify her dwindling patience and sanity.

Of course, her teammates were not the main issue, not with…

_Enough. There is no need to dwell on **that**, not without further examination._

She focused her attention on the city for the first time in an hour. Down in the jeweler's section, she felt a familiar presence. It was alone, there was no need to contact the others.

_And maybe this will help me decide if it's real or my imagination._

* * *

A girl gazed upon the jewelry store. There were many indications that she was up to no good: she was awake and walking around town at 2:30, she had carefully positioned herself out of the range of the security cameras, she wore a black bodysuit, and as the orphanage staff had been fond of telling her, no good girl has bright pink hair. No, she was definitely a bad, bad girl.

As much as she would have _loved_ to be sleeping until the early afternoon, Jinx knew that leaving empty-handed was not going to work out. After her messy break-up with Kid Flash, she went back to Giz and Baran with empty pockets and belly; they were not happy. Unfortunately, they had also been losing more and more often to those rotten Teen Titans, so they never had any loot to fence. Ah, the problem with graduating and living in the real world.

But that was all about to change. This was an easy job: get in, grab as much as she could, get out. Quick and dirty, no do-gooders getting in the way, just how she liked 'em!

She flicked her fingers, sending a pink crescent of hex energy at the fire escape of the store next to her target, which she then climbed up to the third story. Taking a deep breath, she hopped onto the rail before kicking off to the roof of the jeweler's, focusing on the building's skylight to keep from looking down. She ran over, using her hexes to pop loose a large pane of glass. While she was catlike enough to land on her feet if she fell through, there would be no way to get back, but that was what the rope she carried was for, right? She tossed one end through the hole, tied the other to a conveniently exposed pipe, and shimmied on down.

Once in, it was easy-peasy to fill a couple of trash bags with as much diamonds and jewelry as they could hold and climb back up. Then it was just a matter of securing the glass, recoiling her rope, and walking to the edge of the building to get gone.

"And what, exactly, is your purpose here?"

_Oh,_ _fuuuck_. That was just what she _didn't_ need right now.

* * *

Yes, the presence she felt was indeed Jinx. Taking in the ambient emotion, Raven "tasted" the chilling mint of her confidence and the bitter chocolate of pleasure. It was quite a boon that she was patrolling alone; Robin would have promptly chastised her for her lack of attention. A few moments longer, and she would have never noticed the thief.

Jinx was not looking in her direction, perfect. She was making this too easy. With a wicked smirk she drawled, "And what, exactly, is your purpose here?"

Gone were the mint and chocolate, replaced with fear's distinct sweet honey. Her demon side was to blame for its appeal; as entities of destruction, her father's people would obviously delight in the terror of mortals, and her empathy reflected those origins.

She floated to the rooftop as Jinx slowly turned in her direction, three plastic bags hanging from her hands. At this range, she did not need to be an empath to see how much panic was filling the other girl's white face. "Well?"

Jinx took a moment to rearrange her expression to her customary haughtiness. "I? I was just taking a midnight stroll. And what are you doing here, Ms. Titan, hmm?"

She had to give the girl credit, anyone who was incapable of detecting emotive spoor would very easily be fooled if she didn't have evidence still literally in hand. "And the bags, Ms. Thief?" Of all the enemies the Titans faced, Jinx was the best for quick banter.

"Well, how else would I window shop?"

Raven had no idea where it came from, but an chuckle broke through her mouth. She allowed another at the incredulous stare she then received. "I do not believe that is how that particular practice is performed."

The ambient emotion changed once again. No longer mint, chocolate, or honey, it was instead the empty taste of tepid water. Defeat and submission. "Fine, just cuff me and let's go."

Raven could not have been more surprised if Jinx had spouted off a recitation of her genealogy in limericks. Jinx _never_ admitted defeat, struggling even when it was clear she and her team would not escape. Why would she do so now?

_I could always examine her surface thoughts._ Raven was once again wrong-footed by her own mind. She would never peer into another person's head; not only was it unethical, it could also become addictive for the telepath and cause great pain for an unprepared subject.

_But it is only slightly different from reading emotions. After all, it is not as if I will be examining her memories, only scanning her frontmost mind._ Those were good points. And it was not as if it would take long or be detected. With an inner nod, she released some of the tight bindings around her astral form and gently laid a tendril of liquid thought onto Jinx's Anja chakra.

She was reminded immediately why the Monks of Azarath had forbidden her from using telepathy: she was no longer Raven, but Jinx-Raven, simultaneously neither and both. She dissociated her reason from the stream of thought she experienced and 'was'.

_...not like it's going to make a difference, she's just gonna chuck me in the slam, **again**, and I'll have to stick around until Giz or Baran come around to bust me out. Fucking hell, this makes staying with Kid almost worth it. But a leopard can't change her spots, and I'm gonna be stuck doing this 'til the state finally decides to put me down… At least she won't harp about how I'm the "scum of society" that "should do something productive with my life" like her bird-brain leader would._

Raven pulled her thought-limb away, rebound herself, and focused on the physical. She could no more prevent the poignant pang of sympathy than she could turn back time. She, of all people, understood the pressure of being forced down a dark road not of her choosing. And maybe, just maybe, she could give the girl–young woman, actually, now that she was no longer looking at her merely as a familiar enemy to defeat–reassurance that life could change for the better, the same hope no one ever provided her.

Her soulself wrapped itself around the bags in Jinx's hands, lifting them from numb fingers and gently depositing them on the ground at the base of the building. "I see no evidence of any crime, so I suppose I will have to accept that you are, indeed, partaking in an innocuous walk. I would advise you, however, that your record is against you and grounds for suspicion. I really should escort you to your residence." Was it wrong that she delighted in the second burst of honey? She pulled out her communicator and checked the time, 3:05. "However, I am now 'off-duty', so I trust you can make your own way home." She turned and levitated off the roof to fly back to the Tower.

"Why?" She twisted her head to look at the pinkette. "Why are you helping me?"

Raven opened her mouth to deliver a last quip. "Maybe I'm tired of playing the hero?" Where in Hell did that come from?

_From me, of course_. She whipped her head away so that Jinx would not see her eyes, widened with dread. She would have known if someone tried to sneak into her mind. She detected nothing, which meant that the voice was _already there!_

_Took you long enough to figure it out. Come to Nevermore, my dear. We have much to discuss._

Raven abandoned her plan to fly to the Tower in favor of teleporting. Once she was safely ensconced in her bedroom, she picked up her mirror and fell into her mind.

At least she would not have to search. There in front of her, looking far too relaxed, was a red robed figure with four glittering eyes.

"Let's have a little chat, shall we?"

* * *

**Next chapter will be the explanation for Rage's presence and civility. We'll also get a better look at the Ascension and what exactly the Monks did to Raven when she was younger.**

**I must say, I really enjoyed getting into our girls' heads like that. So different, yet so complementary.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	2. Failure to Communicate

**I wasn't expecting any response for my first Teen Titans fanfic; I'm glad all of you proved me wrong!**

**nada129:** Thank you so much! I love it when the first reviewer likes my contribution to the fandom.

**TaintedFlare:** It's only been one chapter, let me get in the groove! : ) I'm going to try to update once a week; juggling 3 fanfics is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.

**Spikesagitta:** So true, but Rage is only acting nice because she _wants something_. You'll find out what in just a bit.

**Drenn:** Here's your update! Yeah, I have no idea where the "taste" idea came from, but I thought it worked well; I'm glad you agree. As for the "honey", you'll just have to wait and see.

**Rage is, well, _different_ in this chapter, but I like her more like this, too. I hope you do as well.**

**Disclaimer:** Was Raven's birthday unknown until season 4? If so, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 2  
****Failure to Communicate**

_Raven abandoned her plan to fly to the Tower in favor of teleporting. Once she was safely ensconced in her bedroom, she picked up her mirror and fell into her mind._

_At least she would not have to search. There in front of her, looking far too relaxed, was a red robed figure with four glittering eyes._

"_Let's have a little chat, shall we?"_

* * *

"What are you doing here, Rage? You vanished along with Trigon!" Raven greatly enjoyed the lessened meditation her powers now required, as only Rage had actively fought her. If it was back, she would be hard pressed to maintain her own emotional stability with all the other issues she was already facing.

Rage snickered lightly. "Vanished? Hardly, I was certainly shattered after Father's death, but it was only a matter of time before I reformed. I must thank you for isolating your emotions, it made the process much simpler."

"So he _is_ dead, I had wondered. But that just means it will be easier to restrain you!"

Rage ignored her threat, extending a hand and summoning a fist-sized fireball. "But do you really want to?"

"How? You have no abilities I do not..." She trailed off. While that was what she had always believed, it was proving to be inaccurate; how else could her Emoticlone have developed a new ability?

"Wrong again. I and each of my sisters have one of your abilities, it is in fact _you_ who use _our_ powers. My astral manipulation, Wisdom's telepathy, Fear's materialization, Love's healing, Courage's resilience and senses, Joy's empathy, and Impudence's sorcery. Without us, you are _nothing!_

"As for how I can use Father's fire, you know the answer to that. When one demon conquers another…"

"The victor gains the titles and powers of the defeated. But I am not a demon, that law does not apply to me!" Raven could not bear the consequences if she were wrong. She had spent her entire life distancing herself from Trigon and his Cult, she had even killed him; she was free, she had no possible connection to his actions anymore.

Rage shook her head and pulled back her hood. Other than her eyes, she was identical to Raven, just as the other Emoticlones were. "You are not, as you have broken your mind and limited your connection to your powers. I, however, am your demonic side. When you defeated Father, it was just the same as if I did. I am you, you are me. With His power added to my own, I have my doubts that you would be capable of subjugating me.

"Thankfully, that is no longer our only option." Her explanation finished, Rage leaned back against the empty air, her powers providing her stability.

She narrowed her eyes at her embodiment of anger. "What do you mean?" It was never wise to make a deal with a devil, even if that devil was yourself. "Every time you were free, you left chaos in your wake. I nearly killed my own teammates the last time! I cannot trust you."

"That wasn't me." Rage walked closer, halving the distance between them to a mere four feet. "Before, I was used as an extension of Father's will. With Him dead, I am free. I have already stated that we are one; why, when I can control myself, would I wish harm on us? Especially when we can lend each other aid."

Against her will, Raven felt her curiosity perk up its head. In what conceivable fashion could a reckless force of destruction assist her? However, Rage had indeed acted out of character; she was demonstrating a silver tongue and acting relatively peaceful.

"You see," Rage continued, unaware of her thoughts, "as your powers come from us, you are incapable of fighting to your true potential. We, on the other hand, have power that is useless here in this constant mental landscape. There is only one way that we can see the world and you can inherit your full talents. We must merge."

Merge. That one word terrified Raven more than almost any other. When she was a child, before Azar split her mind into different realms governed by a single emotion, her powers were volatile, liable to overflow and destroy everything and everyone around her. Even now, strong emotion could force her powers into a rampage. And Rage wanted to reunite?

"No, it will not be as dangerous as it was when we were young." Rage smirked at her surprise. "I already told you that I have all of Father's abilities, that includes His impressive telepathy. We were dangerous because He had such influence on me. You have already seen that I am stable now that He is gone. It would follow, then, that a merge now would not only increase the potency of your powers, but would also cease all your little 'accidents'.

"I do not require an answer yet, you need time to properly weigh my proposal. Ask my sisters what they think, I refused to inform them before I spoke with you. I am unsure they are even aware of my return. All I ask is that you take no longer than two months to decide."

She understood immediately what Rage was saying, and more importantly, what she was _not_ saying. "The Ascension. After that, the merge will be impossible."

"Not impossible, just more difficult. The transition from child to adult will facilitate the change from many to one, human to demonling. Sympathetic magic at its most basic." With that said, Rage faded from sight, likely returned to her own realm.

Raven stood there, on a chunk of stone in the middle of nothingness, for an indeterminate length of time. There were occasions that she rejoiced for the inconstancy of time here in Nevermore, and this was one of them. She mulled the proposal over in her head, looking at it from every possible angle, and yet…

No matter how she examined it, she could find no obvious deceit. Much of what Rage had said aligned with her own understanding. Some did not, but after Rage's pyrokinetic demonstration, Raven would tentatively accept that she could be mistaken. What the Monks had known of emotional division was from full humans; there existed the potential for half-demons to react differently to the process.

_Perhaps I will take Rage's advice after all_, she thought, _Knowledge has often guided me through particularly thorny dilemmas._ She swirled her soulself around her and teleported–_do I truly have you to thank, Rage?_–to the library that served as Knowledge's property.

* * *

The library that Knowledge claimed as her own would put even great Alexandria to shame. Filled with numerous books and scrolls, it contained all the spells, each ritual, every scrap of information Raven had ever come across. It was truly unfortunate that this library was separate from her own memory, for there were hundreds of magical answers to any issue that would or could present itself, but it took time for her to arrive and query Knowledge.

Unfortunately, even though she was only an emotion personified, Knowledge was not an individual that Raven took pleasure in interacting with. The Emoticlone was distant and tactless, possessing fewer social skills than she and was therefore only slightly less antisocial than Rage was, or at least had been. Worse, Knowledge was as much a hoarder of ideas as a dragon was of gold, and would not part with her treasure lightly. Raven certainly enjoyed her books, but often she read as payment for Knowledge's aid.

Idly examining the cavernous room, she waited for her incarnation of curiosity to make an appearance. She knew actively searching would serve no purpose, entry into the library without alerting Knowledge was impossible.

"Not impossible, just very difficult." Raven turned around to address the speaker, surprised by the near perfect quotation. She was a yellow-cloaked Raven; like Rage, she had one other difference in appearance, this being the round glasses she habitually wore. They certainly made her look less intimidating, and, not for the first time, Raven pondered using a pair on herself for the same purpose.

"Knowledge," she greeted before recalling the names Rage had used, "or is it Wisdom?"

For the first time since they had met, Knowledge actually grimaced. "Either will suffice. Knowledge is the name you gave to me, Wisdom is what I chose for myself."

Raven nodded, she had always understood that she had turned her emotions into actual personalities, but somehow she never even considered that they would choose their own names. "Wisdom, then. I have a problem that I would like to pose to you."

"Rage's proposition. Oh, don't look at me like that," Wisdom chided her, "I, all of us, know everything you know. Rage was correct, we are you and you are us. How else would I give you accurate advice without you completely explaining a situation?"

Eyes narrowed, she pressed her irritation down. "And you neglected to inform me of this at any point in the last _fourteen years_, for, what reason exactly?"

Wisdom smirked, the same smirk that had adorned both her and Rage's face this night. _Are all my emotions this similar to me?_

"You were not sufficiently mature to accept it. There is a reason for my name, _'knowledge is knowing what to say, wisdom is knowing when to say it'_, true? At this point, you are, finally, ready." She sat on a convenient stone bench, and Raven levitated, legs crossed.

"When you divided your psyche the way you did, you irrevocably altered your personality. We were left to reform ourselves in the same manner that Rage used to return after Trigon's death. None of us chose the aspect we became, our 'births' were random. Be thankful we did not form ourselves after the seven deadly sins.

"Our existences are imperfect. A being composed purely out of courage, or fear, or even curiosity, is incapable of surviving on its own. Thankfully, we all developed at roughly the same time. Upon seeing how Rage was behaving, we restrained her in her realm and hoped that she would eventually come to her senses, a hope that was dashed when her possession by Trigon was discovered. We used all our capabilities imprisoning her even as we knew that you would be required to reinforce the bindings.

"Your first encounter with us, you were unlike anything we had expected. Rather than simply possessing diminished emotions, you were entirely apathetic; frankly, you frightened us even as we knew you meant no harm to our continuity. We convened and decided that, with the Prophecy in our future, we would not concern ourselves overly with the fracture and its effects on you. Over time, we simply forgot.

"When Rage was dissolved, we mourned for her in our own way and moved on, not realizing that she could reform again without ill effects. We cannot, but Rage has always been different. I see you do not understand," she said when Raven opened her mouth to interrupt. "We, like you, are half demon, or would be if you did not fracture your mind while denying your heritage. As you used magical means to create us, the spell twisted your rejection and attempted to isolate those traits where they would be inaccessible. Rage was the last of us to develop, and so has the burden of holding far more power than us, or you. She is almost completely demonic, hence the difficulty we had several years ago when she freed herself. I am not sure, but I believe the only time she has ever aided us was during our final confrontation with Trigon."

Raven looked down at the library floor. "Thank you for telling me this, I did not know." Returning her eyes to Wisdom, she continued, "You obviously know her far better than I. Is she trustworthy, now that Trigon no longer affects her?"

"I am unsure. I would need to meet with her myself to determine that, but from your discussion, I will state that she is in control of her faculties for the first time in her existence. Whether she is deceitful or not," she raised her hands in helplessness, "only she knows."

"What would you do in my position?" This was the real question. It was now clear to her that any merge could not be her decision alone; she desired the consent of all her emotions before she would seek Rage out once again.

Wisdom slowly stood and walked to a doorway leading from the room. "I am tired of being surrounded by the same walls. I want to see the sun, feel the wind, smell the sea, in something other than shared memory." She vanished deeper into her domain, only her sorrow, hidden for so long, remaining.

Raven lowered herself to her feet before she, too, made ready to depart. Not once had she ever had a conversation like that with Wisdom, or any of her Emoticlones. _Have I offended them?_, she wondered. _In their places, I would not be willing to provide the aid they have so freely given. They are better people than I; is this what she meant when she said I 'altered my personality', that any one of my incomplete emotions would make a better individual than I do?_ There was nothing she could do now to change her circumstances, though it certainly provided support to Rage's proposal. She teleported herself out of Nevermore, she would examine her options again when she was rested.

A pair of amethyst eyes looked into the room to verify that Raven was gone. _Perhaps Rage will not be adverse to my company? It has been a long time since I met with one of my sisters…_ With that, Wisdom left to scour the region around the Forbidden Portal. At the very least, she could thank Rage for devising that brilliant plan.

* * *

**Wow, that was strange. I planned to have next chapter as part of this one, but I'm afraid I infected Wisdom with my inability to know when to shut up. Next chapter will have an explanation of Ascension, I promise, as well as more interactions between our favorite twosome.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	3. Heart to Heart

**Spikesagitta:** Yep, if or when Raven merges all her emotions together, she will be more expressive, though a little more demonic than we're used to from her. And yes, you will have more Rae/Jinx action. In fact, here you go!

**nada129:** Rage wants something, that's easy to see. More difficult is _what_, but that will become clear. Eventually. When it's the proper time.

**ShadowMama13:** Glad it meets your approval. Updates will be every Wednesday, at least until class starts.

**Faded Flight:** Here's your update!

**SepticMind:** You do realize that seeing your review nearly gave me a heart attack, right? : ) I try to proofread my chapters, but I know some things will slip by me. I have an overview of the standard Ascension written, and I even have a bit of Raven's experience planned out. Don't ask me when that scene will be published, though; I have no clue.

**Just so you know, the next couple of chapters will be mostly from Jinx's viewpoint. It gets confusing looking at all the "she"s and "her"s, so when in doubt, it's probably Jinx.**

**One last comment; remember that, as readers, you might know more about a situation than the characters do.**

**Disclaimer:** Was Raven forced to flee to Earth to escape the destruction of Azarath? If so, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 3  
****Heart to Heart**

Raven was _not_ having a good day. Ever since she allowed Jinx to avoid imprisonment for stealing from that jewelry store, Robin had forced everyone to undergo additional situational awareness training. Thankfully he was still unaware of what she had actually done, or he would have come down on her like the hammer of Thor; all he knew was that she did not prevent the crime from occurring. The fact that she had been patrolling alone was irrelevant to him.

Her Emoticlones—_I need a better term for them_—had been a source of trouble as well. Once Rage demonstrated the ability to communicate with her, she had been bombarded by their voices on practically every situation that arose. Mainly it had been Happy and Brave—or rather, Joy and Courage—that had occupied her attention: Joy wanted her to involve herself in meaningless exploits with Beast Boy and Cyborg, while Courage demanded she _'tell Robin where he can shove his situational awareness'_." It was strange for Fear to be her favorite emotion; she, at least, had remained silent, likely because she was simply too painfully shy to speak out. Raven _knew_ Wisdom had the means to close the connection, but she smugly refused to share.

When she saw Robin marching over to her, she knew she would be unable to contain her irritation. She turned and flew through the wall. There was only one location that would serve to calm her, one she doubted Robin even knew existed.

* * *

Jinx was _not_ having a good day. Ever since Raven let her go after robbing that jewelry store, Giz had been giving her the cold shoulder and Baran was moping around. She knew not to get too pissy about it, they were just jealous that she did a perfect heist by herself and they couldn't do it working together. Another couple of days and they would act like nothing had happened.

Unfortunately, her partners were not the main problem, _that_ was the Titan known only as Raven. Jinx prided herself on being familiar with the girl—she had certainly had her ass kicked enough—but she didn't know what thoughts had been running around underneath that hood that night. _She doesn't even give a shit about her own team, why would she help a crook?_

_I need to get out and clear my head_, she thought. Their base was right in the middle of downtown, within walking distance of just about anything she could want. Maybe she could even find a new food joint to try; she was getting tired of sandwiches from the deli across the street.

Half an hour later, she was sitting on a bench enjoying a 'free' ice cream when she spotted the object of her annoyance flying overhead. She didn't hear any screams or explosions, so there wasn't any battle going on. _What is she up to?_ Tossing her half-eaten treat behind her, she quickly climbed a drainpipe to the rooftops and bounded after the heroine.

Jinx shortly found herself in front of a row of small stores. _Huh, I've never been here before. How'd Raven find it?_, she thought. The girl in question had just disappeared through the door of the _Phoenix Café_. Now she had to decide what to do.

Calling the others was a possibility, and if she could get in touch with Kyd Wykkyd, they could have most of the former H.I.V.E. students there to bring the house down on the witch. She had no idea how long Raven would be in there, though, and while she was a thief, she knew murder would definitely bring the heat on them. Besides, Raven had stuck her neck out for her a week ago, and she always paid her debts. Killing her would _not_ be the way to do that.

It helped that she wasn't stupid. This could be considered the Titan's territory, and she had the home field advantage. One kitty would not survive a fight in Raven's nest. But if this was someplace Raven was comfortable in, maybe she would be willing to explain just why she helped her, especially if she tried the soft approach.

Should she call Baran and let him know where she was, just in case? Nah, he would just panic and bring Gizmo along, and she was trying to avoid fighting today, thank you very much.

Taking one last look around the street, she squared her shoulders and started walking towards the café. She hoped this didn't blow up in her face. _Curiosity killed the cat…_

"…but satisfaction brought her back," she muttered.

* * *

The inside of the _Phoenix_ was darkened by the numerous curtains, yet Jinx's night vision let her see the row of tables running down a hallway to the right of the entrance. There was a bar along the inside of the room, and the room was halfway full, mostly from Jump's goth and punk population. Somehow, it didn't surprise her that the dark Titan would find this place comfy.

And there was the girl, sitting at the booth farthest from the door. Jinx had never seen her with her hood down, and she grudgingly approved of the contrast between her blue cloak and dark purple hair. She made her way over, quickly gaining Raven's attention.

"And what, exactly, is your purpose here, hmm?" She winced as soon as the words left her mouth; if she wanted to gently wheedle information out of the crime fighter in front of her, mocking her was not the best choice.

Thankfully, Raven was as unperturbed as ever. "Those words sound ridiculous coming from you. What does it look like?" She tapped a pen against a order pad in front of her; Jinx was losing her touch if she hadn't even noticed the white standing out against the dark wood table.

"Cool, cool. Um," she now had an eyebrow raised at her; it stung that no matter how hard she practiced, she had never been able to mimic that. "Can I join you?"

This was a day of firsts: not only had she seen Raven's hair color, she also got a front row seat to Raven looking wide-eyed; apparently her _How to be a Coldhearted Bitch_ handbook didn't cover what to do when villains were being nice. "I suppose," she finally answered, as if she wasn't sure this was a good idea. "Would you like a drink?"

Jinx flounced into the seat opposite her and pulled the order form over. It was just a blank page, and there was no menu on the table. _If you don't know the answer, ignore the question_. "I have things I want to know, and you want to tell me."

"Do I?" Raven replied, "I do not recall that. Remind me what I would gain from telling you."

"Ummm, a warm fuzzy feeling?"

"I don't do the 'warm fuzzy' thing." _Yeah, we know that._ "An exchange would be agreeable, a question for a question, _quid pro quo_."

_Holy crap, that's downright __**friendly**__ for her!_ "So you show me yours and I'll show me mine?" Raven's snicker reassured her that she hadn't been losing her mind last time they talked, there actually was a sense of humor under that ocean of hate! "Fine with me."

Raven looked at her for a moment longer, then reached over and retrieved the order pad. She quickly wrote something down, tore the top sheet off, and flicked her hand. The page serenely floated halfway down the hall and into the hand of one of the men at the bar. He looked at it a moment, nodded at Raven, and walked over the the large coffee and tea pots on the back wall.

"How'd you do that? I thought you had to cover stuff with your scary blackness before you could move it."

"No, what you saw there was mere telekinesis. You're thinking of something else I can do. My question."

Jinx groaned. She had no clue how long Raven's good mood would last, and she wasted a question. She nodded.

"Why did you resign as an Honorary Titan and return to crime?" Her eyes shot to Raven's. This was the last question she expected, honestly she figured Raven would immediately interrogate her about her illegal activities. _Then again, she did __**help**__ with one._ "I have wondered that since Kid Flash informed us."

She sighed, several Titans probably held a grudge for the breakup since she hurt one of 'them'. Maybe it was a good thing that Raven was more or less emotionless. "I couldn't keep doing it. Whenever we caught someone, especially if they used to be H.I.V.E., they just glared at me like I betrayed them. Honestly, I kinda did. Kid, he wasn't happy when he found out I would give 'em a chance to run. He threatened to turn me over to the cops, so I left."

"I see. That certainly explains the guilt he felt when he informed us."

_Oh yeah, empath._ It wasn't an ability that was useful in battle, so she generally forgot about it when she was fighting the Titans. _The fact that she can feel her team's emotions and __**still**__ act like she does says something about the size of the stick up her ass._ "My turn. What _do_ you do when you're fighting?" If nothing else, she could get some juicy info from this.

"How much magical theory do you know?"

"HEY! You can't answer a question with another question!"

Raven shook her head. "I need to know so I explain well enough for you to understand. I am willing to have that stand as my next query."

That was a good enough reason, she supposed. "I've done some research, my hexbolts are semi-magical."

"Very well. My psychic presence is foreign to this world, so there is a rejection reaction that I can direct to alter objects in the astral plane. That manipulation is reflected on the physical level; ergo, it appears that I have extremely strong telekinesis."

What. _The_. _**Fuck**_.

Raven was now eyeing her like a particularly poor student. "I am capable of distorting reality enough that it simply looks like I'm moving objects with my mind. In truth, I'm moving the space around them."

Jinx shook her surprise off. "No, I understood the first explanation. I just can't figure out how the hell you aren't a total powerhouse."

"Simple, I prefer defense. Nothing good comes when I attack directly."

_That's right, I've never really seen her use her powers on someone, she's always throwing stuff. But if she affects the astral plane, her powers would be even stronger when used on a person._

"What happens when you do? Attack someone like that, I mean."

Raven looked at the table for a moment, then back at her. She had to push the flinch response down hard at the other girl's expression. "Unless I take great care, they rarely survive."

Jinx gulped. She was now very _very_ glad that she had never pissed Raven off enough to warrant that.

"As we have discussed my ability, what are the mechanics of your 'hexbolts'? You mentioned that they were similar to magic."

_This is why she wanted to play this game, she can get info from me, too. And since she's an empath, she can tell if I'm lying._

"They're not as impressive as your tricks. Whatever they hit fails in the way it most likely would normally. Works like magic, but it's different in several ways." Not the whole truth, but not a lie; good enough for government work. Her ploy succeeded, as Raven simply nodded. Now what should she ask?

It hit her. "Wait a minute, you said your mind was foreign to this world. That shouldn't be possible." Raven said nothing, and she realized that she wasn't going to reveal any more unless she put it in the form of a question. "Fine, _why_ is your mind foreign?"

"Obviously, I'm not from this world."

"I call bullshit. I know your pal Starfire is an alien, but coming from a different planet wouldn't make a scrap of difference in your astral form."

Raven smirked. _Not a smile, but probably the best I'm gonna get._ "Very true, any sentient being from this dimension has a similar astral representation. That leaves only one option for why mine is different."

No. That wasn't possible. _She is __**not**__ saying what I think she's saying._

"I'm not from this dimension."

* * *

Jinx stared at her conversation partner. Not from this dimension? If the Titan was telling the truth, how did she come to this one? For that matter, why did she do it? Was she on some cosmic pilgrimage? Looking for treasure? Seeking a man to take back home with her, maybe?

As she was wrestling with her intellectual crisis, the man Raven had given her order to walked over, carrying a pot of tea. He set it down, along with two ceramic cups, a small pitcher, and a covered bowl and spoon.

"Thank you, William." He left, and she proceeded to fill both cups from the pot. "How do you take your tea?"

The relative normalcy—_anything_ would be normal compared to learning about a visitor from another reality—allowed her to return to her senses. "Uh, I don't know. Whatever you think."

Raven gazed intensely at her. "Milk, I believe, with a touch of sugar." She doctored one of the cups and passed it over. Jinx took a sip, the heat and sweetness were enough to fully revive her. "It is your question now, if I am correct."

_Wait, what? She didn't ask any— the tea, she asked how I take my tea._ She knew Raven was likely giving her a free pass, but she wasn't gonna turn it down.

Now it was just a matter of how to put all her confusion into a single question. She turned it over a few times in her head, then decided to ask the questions together and ignore how clumsy it was.

"How and why did you leave your dimension?"

"That should be two questions," Raven replied with a slight, almost playful, glare, "but I will accept it this time. The how is through a spell requiring a circle of sand from the dimension you were born in and an incantation containing the names of both the dimension you wish to depart from and the one to which you are traveling. Any further detail will require another question.

Her smirk fell. "As for why, I had no other choice." Jinx looked at her with unbridled curiosity. "The Order of Azar felt it would be best for all the residents of Azarath if I were banished."

* * *

**The "scary blackness" quote comes from Khaleda's fic _Pluto_. If you haven't read it yet, I recommend you do so.**

**Seriously, go ahead and read it now. I'll wait.**

**I need to learn not to make promises about my stories, as my muse takes a perverse pleasure in making me break them. I know most of the girls' talk so far has probably been boring, filled with information you all either know or don't care about. But, it's needed for three reasons.**

**First, recall that Rage's and Raven's powers affect the astral plane _directly_. The way the story is currently pointed in my head, that detail is going to be extremely important. The mechanics of Jinx's powers will also be elaborated on later, and some of you might know where it's headed. Second, I need it as a pivot in the conversation. You'll see next chapter. Third, I had to bring up Raven's banishment. _I know this did not happen in canon_. It's important for creating sympathy, making it easier to flip Jinx's world on its head.**

**I'm not even going to predict what will be in Chapter 4; the muse will change it if I do.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	4. A Burden Shared

**Faded Flight:** I'm glad it didn't bore you! I enjoyed it, but world-building is my favorite part of fanfiction, so I wasn't expecting anyone else to like it. I'm so happy I was wrong.

**SepticMind:** Yep, I found the term "Emoticlones" online, but I think I'll go with emotions from now on. Easier on my fingers. The mechanics of Raven's powers were a little of both; I just couldn't figure out what the "soulself" actually _was_, so I took another jaunt onto the internet for more info on her powers and voilà, astral projection. From there, it took on a life of its own.

You know, it takes a lot of fun out of writing if you can guess where I'm going with the story. : P You're right, Raven is getting pulled around in all directions right now, so she's going to act a little out of character. As I told Faded Flight, I love describing all the parts of the world that we never really see, so expect more details as we go.

**Spikesagitta:** While I know _now_ she also used the name, no it didn't. All I've read of hers were her two "Raven DeLint" stories and "One That Walks the Veil". Let's let them become friends first, shall we, even if we _all_ know how they're going to end up.

**nada129:** How 'bout a deal? I'll keep writing if you all keep reading : )

**Selonianth:** It never gets mentioned in the show _why_ she's on Earth to begin with, so I figured I could ignore that the comics supposedly said she fled Azarath's destruction by Trigon. Glad you like it.

**TehMaskedWarrior:** I completely understand trying to figure out the science behind her magic : ) Thanks for the compliment!

**The chapter got away from me again, so while we cover what the Ascension entails (finally!), the scene spilled over onto a third chapter. But rejoice!, for we shall see Raven get teased and our two girls break the cardinal rule of superheroes and villains alike (after _'don't sleep with the enemy' _). Yes, we will eventually get to that, too.**

**Disclaimer:** Did any of the Titans show an interest in Raven's home culture, especially when Starfire was teaching them about the culture of Tamaran? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 4  
****A Burden Shared...**

"_How and why did you leave your dimension?"_

"_That should be two questions," Raven replied with a slight, almost playful, glare, "but I will accept it this time. The how is through a spell requiring a circle of sand from the dimension you were born in and an incantation containing the names of both the dimension you wish to depart from and the one to which you are traveling. Anything more will require another question._

_Her smirk fell. "As for why, I had no other choice." Jinx looked at her with unbridled curiosity. "The Order of Azar felt it would be best for all the residents of Azarath if I were banished."_

* * *

"Banished…" Jinx couldn't move past that word. It was just too awful, too extreme. To be banished from your own dimension. "I'm, I'm gonna need a minute. Fuck."

_Raven was only thirteen, fourteen when the Titans formed up. What did she do that was so awful that they would **banish** her? What **could** a teenager do to deserve that?_

"Um, go ahead and ask your question, Raven. I don't even know where I would start my next one."

"We can cease this exchange if you are uncomfortable…"

"No!" She hadn't meant to shout, and she really didn't like that she had gotten everyone's attention. Raven's glare quickly put paid to that issue. "I mean, no. I just didn't expect that would be why you left your home."

Raven looked over her. "Very well. What made you choose a life of crime?"

_How the hell did we get to talking about our pasts?_ "I didn't so much choose it as it chose me. My hexes are entirely destructive, there's not much call for them in hero work, as Kid Flash told me too many times to count. 'Too much collateral damage', he said." She flashed a winning smile, "Though demolition was also an option!"

It took a moment, but a small, wry grin did slowly make its way onto Raven's face. "I can see you enjoying that; I actually have more trouble picturing you in the coveralls you would wear."

"Oh, I don't know," she stood and gave a twirl, "with my figure, I could make them look so good you could never forget it." She dropped back down, that short bit of levity had put her back into her normal state of mind. "I'm having a bit of trouble following your story, you know, about coming here. What could you possibly have done to be banished?"

Raven's face contorted with a flash of pain. "I would rather not discuss it. Ask a different question. Please."

It was the way she said "please" that kept Jinx from pushing. It wasn't how she would probably sound if she was avoiding some embarrassing incident, but more as if she truly couldn't talk about it without breaking down. The pinkette would have to be heartless to keep going; she understood more than Raven would ever know.

_What were we talking about before our histories? Dimensional travel, astral projection… powers!_ "How did the other Titans react when you told them how your powers work?"

"Well enough, considering none of them had a background in magical theory. Richard was cautious around me once he researched enough to understand."

"Richard?" Jinx's grin reached Cheshire cat proportions when she saw the red staining Raven's grey cheeks. "Who's Richard?"

Raven ducked her head. "I do believe that it is my opportunity to ask a question."

"Yeah, but you know I'm just gonna ask it again later. Which boy's named Richard?"

"I see no reason to reveal that. We both know that you would not share the names of the others in the H.I.V.E. Five."

"No, we _don't_ both know that. I wouldn't have a problem with it." After all, it wasn't as if the police needed their names to put them behind bars, all their crimes were just filed under their aliases. "I'll even start as a, what would you call it, _'show of good faith'_. Deal?"

"Deal," Raven sighed.

"Well, Mammoth's name is Baran Flinders. Gizmo is Mikron O'Jeneus, Kyd Wykkyd hasn't ever told anyone his real name; I think it's cause it's embarrassing. Billy Numerous is Paul Madrox."

"Paul? I do not understand, there is no reason to call himself 'Billy' if his name is Paul. And Mikron O'Jeneus? 'Micron' and 'genius'? That is simply too convenient."

Jinx laughed. "Don't worry, I don't get Billy either. Maybe it's his middle name. I agree with you about Giz, though. I think he's just having us on."

"I as well," Raven said. "You forgot one, though."

"What? No I didn't."

"You did." She leaned forwards. "You never mentioned _your_ real name."

_Is she coming on to me? Nah, she couldn't be. Shame though; if she weren't a Titan, I'd be all over her._

"Oh, yeah. My name. I'm like Kyd, I prefer to go by Jinx."

"I will not accept that. You stated that you do not know Kyd Wykkyd's name, that is not true for your own."

"Fine," she snapped. "I was born Nirupama Dasgupta. I know I don't look it, but my family was from Bangladesh."

Raven gaped at her. "You are correct, I would never have guessed that you were from that region. Your metahuman gene obviously suppresses your other traits."

"I know that!" Jinx took a deep breath, then another. _I can't keep on like this, I'm about to get some hard intel! Calm down, girl, calm down._ "I don't like talking about it."

"I apologize. I had no intentions of invoking bad memories." She could hardly believe that Raven, I-consider-you-all-beneath-my-notice Raven, was actually feeling _sorry_ for something. This was perfect, Raven couldn't back out of the deal now.

"I'm sorry, too. About bringing up your home, I mean." Raven waved it off, and she had to fight to keep the smile off her face. _Time to get down to business_.

"I gave you my teammates' names, what about yours?" She picked up her cup, only to find that it was empty. _When did I drink it?_ "Um, and can I get some more tea?"

Raven took her cup to prepare the tea again, then filled her own. "Richard is Robin, Richard Grayson—"

"No way! Robin is one of Bruce Wayne's orphans?!"

Raven glared at the interruption. "Yes, Robin was the ward of Bruce Wayne. May I now continue?" Jinx nodded sheepishly. "Starfire is Koriand'r of Tamaran. Beast Boy is Garfield Logan. Cyborg's name is Victor Stone."

"Wait, wait, wait, his name really is Stone?" Jinx demanded. "Didn't he ever think that would give us a way to track him down after he tricked us?"

Raven's smirk didn't help her mood. "It has been three years since his infiltration, and you only know because I told you. Apparently, he was perfectly safe."

"Fine, but you need to tell me _your_ name, too. Especially since you were so pushy about mine."

"There is not much to it, honestly. My name is Raven."

"I'm serious!" Jinx said.

"So am I. My birth name is Raven, daughter of Arella. I will admit that I use the name Rachel Roth for official documents here on Earth."

Jinx looked askance at her. "And I thought Stone was bad at picking an alias, but you didn't even try." She went through the names again, Gizmo might be able to do something with them. "Whose turn is it to ask a question?"

"I would say that you have now given it to me."

_Really, Raven?_

"Why did you follow me in here today?" Jinx felt all the blood in her face drain away. "You entered the building, looked around, and approached the moment you saw me. Why?"

* * *

_Oh, shit. Why didn't I think about that?_ Jinx was never happier the H.I.V.E. was no more, or she would not just fail the test, but also get a detention for unrestrained stupidity. _Okay, plan A failed, I have no plan B, so let's go with plan C: lie my ass off and hope she buys it._ "I saw this place and decided to check it out. Once I saw you, I figured I could get answers to some questions I had."

"You are lying, Jinx. I would much rather you tell me than force me to search through your memories; it is quite painful."

"You can do that?" Today was giving her plenty of reasons to fear Raven: she directly manipulated the astral plane, she could jump dimensions, and she wasn't just an empath, but a _thrice-damned full on telepath!_

"Yes, I can." Again Raven leaned forward over the table, but this time there was no way Jinx could interpret it as a flirt. Raven's purple eyes, almost the same shade as her hair, were hard as amethysts. "If necessary, I am fully capable of ferreting out every secret you ever had. I also," she sat back down, "do not _wish_ to do so. I would rather have you tell me, no matter how much you believe it would anger me. I promise you, I will not be nearly as displeased as I would if I needed to force my way into your mind for it."

"Well, I really did come in here to ask you a question, but I only started following you after you flew over me."

"I see," Raven muttered. "Obviously it was not that important, otherwise you would have asked it immediately."

"I got sidetracked," she whined. "It's about that night, when you ignored that I had robbed the jewelry store."

Raven nodded. "Very well, what about it?"

"Why did you do it?"

"Why did I allow you to succeed? I presumed that you would be relieved to avoid prison."

Jinx quickly backpedaled. "Oh no, I was relieved, don't get me wrong. I just don't understand why you did it. And the last thing you said, that _'maybe I don't want to be a hero'_, what did you mean by that?"

"I helped you because I wanted to, nothing more. Ignore what I said before, I simply misspoke."

"BULLSHIT! I don't know you well, but I do know you better than that! You don't do or say _anything_ without a fucking reason! So what was your reason, Raven?"

She was standing by this point, not caring that every patron's eyes were on them. Raven glared at them to get some relief, but not even that worked until her eyes started glowing an eerie red. The two girls were promptly ignored.

Raven's eyes also had an effect on Jinx, who realized too late that she had absolutely no idea what the girl she was screaming at was really capable of.

_Didn't I tell myself not fifteen minutes ago **not** to piss her off enough for her to decide to kill me?_

Raven closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, softly muttering her signature mantra. Frankly, Jinx felt the Titan could have all the time she needed to calm down. Finally, she opened her eyes and glared at the thief.

"You are correct, I have reasons for my actions. What I do _not_ have, though, is any incentive to reveal them to you."

"I think you have all the incentive you need right there. If it's making you act out of character, then you can't handle it by yourself. Share it with someone, and it will be easier."

"It is not that simple—"

"But you're so close to the problem, you can't be sure it's that complicated!" she exclaimed. She knew from her breakup with Kid Flash that an outside perspective could make everything clearer.

Raven opened her mouth to continue arguing, but stopped before she even got the first word out. Instead, she looked like she was listening, listening to something Jinx was unable to hear.

After several moments, and right when Jinx was getting _very_ worried about the girl's sanity, Raven refocused on her. "You… may have a valid argument. Yes, I am having issues resolving my concerns. I cannot speak to any of my team, for they are part of my problem. Having said that, I also do not trust you enough to expose myself."

This was not what she expected. For the Silent Titan, as she was sometimes called, to admit her problem was bigger than she could handle meant it was very important.

Now, Jinx had a choice. She could continue working for the good of the team, and lose out on hearing this secret. Or, she could lend an ear and satisfy her curiosity, and promise a telepath, one that would have means and motive to hurt her if she welched, to keep it between the two of them. The right choice was obvious; wasn't curiosity why she was here to begin with?

"Look, I know you don't trust me, you don't have any reason to, but I'm willing to hear you out. I promise, whatever your problem is, I'll keep it to myself, honest."

Raven looked at her like she was judging her soul. "What advantage do you gain from this?"

_Book smarts __**and**__ street smarts, no wonder we've only beaten the Titans once._ "A favor. Nothing that breaks the law any more than our little get together last week."

It took a moment, but Raven did relax. "I accept. I ask that you allow me to finish before you speak, I will be more comfortable if I am not forced to repeat myself."

* * *

"In just less than two months will be my nineteenth birthday. On Earth, this day has no particular importance, but on Azarath, it is known as the Ascension, our coming of age celebration. The months proceeding the day itself are filled with reflection, as we purge ourselves of the lies we believed as children and accept the cold truth of adulthood.

"When the day of Ascension arrives, it is the beginning of feasting and merrymaking that will continue for an entire week, with all of our family and friends joining in. After the first four days, we approach the priests of the Order of Azar for an interview in which the occupation that best meshes with our talents and personality is determined and assigned. We then return home for the next three days of celebration, this time for our good fortune in the means we have to serve Azarath."

"I'm sorry, but priests?" Jinx asked. "Why is a priest involved in where people work? And wasn't this Order the same one that pushed for your banishment?"

Raven replied, "Yes, it is the same Order. As for the priests' authority, Azarath was a theocracy. Monks discharged most civil duties, and legal issues were decided by the priests and validated by the Head Priest.

"Our style of government is also why festivities for the Ascension last so long. There are only three personal celebrations for any Azarathian in their lifetime: their birth, their Ascension, and their marriage. Beyond these, our culture is generally somber.

"Half of my concern is that I am, homesick. While I _was_ banished from Azarath, it does not change that I lived there for fourteen years. Even after my time on this world, I still consider it my home.

"The other half is one I only discovered when I began the necessary meditations for my Ascension. I did everything I could to deny what I knew, even going so far as to use our last conversation as an experiment to test and reject it. Unfortunately, it is one of the truths that leaves me with no recourse but to accept it and continue on; I am just unsure of how to do so.

"The fact is, Jinx, you now know more about the culture of Azarath than my team does."

* * *

**That last line was the first one I wrote when I began this little tale. Friends, we have _finally_ reached the plot of the story, and it only took us four chapters to get here.**

**When I read what Gizmo's hidden identity was, I couldn't believe that could be true. No vertically-challenged prodigy should have that name. Billy's surname is from Marvel Comics; James Madrox is the character Multiple Man, who demonstrates abilities identical to Billy. As for Jinx, her original comic incarnation was an east Indian sorceress, while her TV appearance was anything but, so I tried to bridge the gap. Dasgupta is supposedly a fairly common Indian name (the only Indian I know is named Patel), and Nirupama means "unique" or "uncomparable", which her appearance would certainly warrant.**

**I have an issue with the idea that Raven's real name is Rachel Roth. Angela Roth was brought to Azarath while pregnant with Raven, where she changed her name to Arella. Since Raven was born there and Arella had already integrated into the local culture, it would make more sense for her to have an Azarathian name, and Raven fits their custom of one-word names, like Coman, Juris, Azar, and Galya. As further evidence, in the episode "The Prophecy", Arella greets her as Raven, so that couldn't be an identity she came up with after she left Azarath. However, once on earth, she would need a name that would fit Earth customs for such things as government records, so _she gave_ _herself_ the name Rachel Roth; she may have used her mother's surname, but it is still an alias.**

**Sorry about the rant.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	5. Is a Burden Lightened

**SepticMind:** Not signing in isn't going to protect your identity, I'm afraid. You know more about the comics than I do; I just knew it was in that general area and picked a country. Don't give spoilers, they just make me to want your update even more! Raven's got a few issues to work through, some that she hasn't even really acknowledged herself.

**Spikesagitta:** Right now, not even _she_ knows what she wants, though if Jinx offered, she probably wouldn't say no. She really doesn't care who is there, just as long as _someone_ is; in Azarathian culture, even acquaintances would show up to Ascension parties, at least for a few minutes, so imagine how bad she would feel if she was totally alone.

**Nada129:** Yep, and for our poor little Jinxy cat, it won't be the last time, either.

**Selonianth:** Don't beg, it's beneath you. Here's your next fix!

**Drenn:** Well, are _you_ going to take the initiative with someone you've been fighting against for five years? I certainly wouldn't. Glad I'm not spouting nonsense.

**RainBlueWater:** Thank you!

**jtdarkman:** Here you go.

**TehMaskedWarrior:** Thanks, Thanks, Thanks. I'm glad, I hope so, too! ; P

**Finally, the end of the massive scene inside the _Phoenix Café_. If you look at my ending AN for chapter 1, you'll see I had planned to have the tail end of last chapter and the bulk of this chapter as the second half of _chapter 2_. Yeah, that didn't work out as I thought.**

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven have anyone to provide emotional support besides a manipulative dragon trapped in a book? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 5  
****...Is a Burden Lightened**

(7 weeks until Ascension)

"_Half of my concern is that I am, homesick. While I **was** banished from Azarath, it does not change that I lived there for fourteen years. Even after my time on this world, I still consider it my home._

"_The other half is one I only discovered when I began the necessary reflection for my Ascension. I did everything I could to deny what I knew, even going so far as to use our last conversation as an experiment to reject it. Unfortunately, it is one of the truths that leaves me with no recourse but to accept it and continue on, but I am unsure of how to do so._

"_The fact is, Jinx, you now know more about the culture of Azarath than my team does."_

* * *

Jinx was staggering from the fourth bombshell dropped on her today. There was just no way Raven was telling the truth. She had shown that she had a sense of humor; maybe she was pulling a prank, even though her personality meant that she would have no interest in them. _Anything_ but her being completely serious.

"What?" Right now, she didn't even care that her voice was stuck in _'squeaky mode'_.

"I thought I spoke clearly. You know more about the culture I grew up in than anyone on my team."

"But, but… we've only been speaking for," she turned her head to look at the wall clock, "less than an hour! You only just started talking about Azarath!"

"Yes, those are both true statements. They do not preclude mine, however."

"How?" This was what was really bothering her; if this had been true about _her_ teammates, there would have been blood long before now. "How could you be a Titan for almost five years and none of your teammates know about where you come from?"

Raven shrugged, as if Jinx's concerns were of the same importance as the weather. "They do not know because my culture is unimportant to them. I believe I have recognized this before and ignored it to maintain my contentment as a member of the team. However, now that I have acknowledged it, it is a dilemma that grows more pressing each day my Ascension approaches."

"That sucks." And it did. It didn't matter that Raven pushed her team away, Jinx wouldn't wish this on anyone. "I'm surprised you and Starfire haven't gotten together and shared your cultures with each other since the boys can't be bothered."

"Oh, you misunderstand. Starfire has shared many aspects of Tamaran with them, and they stage a monthly festival, the _phlleg'basr_, for her. She is quite happy with their efforts."

"If they're so willing to do that, then why don't they know about this?!" Jinx heard Raven just fine, she understood the words she was hearing, so why weren't they fitting together? It didn't seem that Raven had that much that they would need to do to make her feel welcome, certainly nothing like a party every month. Azarathian life seemed pretty low-maintenance to her.

"Perhaps Tamaranean culture offers them more diversions than mine can? Or Starfire impresses them with native objects that I am not able to bring back or recreate? Or," she sighed, "they are simply more accepting of the culture that spawned their _fun friend_ than they are of the one that gave them their _creepy teammate_. The inequity is normal for us; I have learned to appreciate persistent ignorance in order to avoid constant rejection." Jinx wasn't at all sure, but she thought she saw the glistening of tears in Raven's striking eyes.

She stared at the dark Titan, the Stoic Witch, or as she had often thought, the Callous Bitch, and almost physically felt her mental picture of the woman, which had been warping and distorting throughout their talk, shatter in front of her eyes. _They call her creepy to her face. They give the alien constant attention while keeping what little Raven needs to themselves. And she responds to that by keeping apart to protect herself from the people she should be able to trust completely. It's not that she ignores her team, they ignore __**her**__. She's distant, yes, but it's not because of contempt or arrogance; she's lonely and hurt and doesn't have __**anyone**__ to turn to._

She quietly stood up from her booth and moved around the table to sit next to Raven. She then hugged the girl, who stiffened for a moment before lightly draping her arms around Jinx. They remained in that position for a minute or two before separating; she watched, her heart aching, as Raven swiftly dashed tears from her cheeks.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"It's no problem," Jinx replied. For someone in that much pain, it didn't matter that she was a villain; she would be willing to help again and again.

An insistent beeping broke the silence, and Raven pulled her communicator from her belt, opened it, and from the way her eyes moved, read a short message before stowing it away again. "I am sorry, but I am needed at the business district." They both stood and walked out of the building. "I do not wish to impose, but…"

She turned her full attention to the sorceress.

"I, I had fun today. Would you be willing to, perhaps… do this again?"

In the short time they had spoken, Jinx had seen her joke and apologize, gossip and cry. It was amazing how much a simple conversation could thaw the ice Raven wrapped around herself, and she was becoming entranced with the figure she could start to see cocooned inside.

"Absolutely."

Raven smiled, a full smile, the first on her face Jinx had ever seen, and she felt her own bloom on her face. It was still there even as she began walking to the base while Raven covered herself in darkness and melted into the street.

* * *

Joy, too, smiled from her realm in Nevermore. She rarely had any influence on Raven because the girl was such a grumpy-gus, but she had finally pushed deftly enough that no one had even noticed her actions. And today was perfect for it, too; Raven needed more friends, and she _loved_ making friends. If she was lucky, she would be able to keep affecting Raven enough for her to enjoy Beast Boy's jokes, too!

* * *

_How ironic_, Raven thought, _this is the same store Jinx robbed_. She was floating above the cracked street, sounds of battle ringing in her ears. Normally, subduing Mumbo Jumbo was not difficult, the other four Titans should have been able to bring him down without her.

She dodged a chunk of asphalt, then another. This situation was _not_ normal; the blue-skinned magician had found a new wand and was today anointing it with all the diamonds and emeralds his giant walking gloves could carry. He had also created several cartoonish cannons, which were firing said road rubble. The next pieces she caught with her soul self and threw back.

The rest of her teammates were all injured to some extent. Robin had dislocated his right shoulder and seriously sprained his left, Cyborg had been the first target for the cannons and had shattered the supports of his left calf, Beast Boy was unconscious from being struck enough times to dent even _his_ hard head, and Starfire was merely winded. If not for her concern with the others, the alien would be able to assist her in destroying Mumbo's weapons.

As it was, she was forced into defending her entire team. While this was her preferred style of combat, she would be unable to stop the thief from succeeding in his crime. The situation required that they retreat and create a new plan of action; she was unable to defeat him on her own. Robin hated retreating under any circumstances, but he would see reason.

_That didn't stop him from punishing us this whole past week, now did it?_

Only one emotion had that strident of a voice. _Now is not the best time, Courage_, she thought, forming a shield to weather the rain of projectiles.

_It is the only time, baby! Come on, we can take these guys!_

Raven ignored her, there were too many cannons firing at once.

'_I just can't figure out how the hell you aren't a total powerhouse.'_

_For the record, I agree with your girlfriend,_ Courage interjected, _the only thing defeating us right now is __**you**__._

Other than the 'girlfriend' quip, Courage certainly had a point. She had a great deal of power, power that she had never truly used before. Perhaps now was the time to try.

Raven dropped behind the flaming ruins of a car and widened her connection to the astral plane. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." Time immediately seemed to slow, the muzzle flash of one of the cannons creeping at a snail's pace. She released several of her bindings, more than she ever had before, and looked for the weapons' astral forms. There they were, all ten of them perfectly identical, with a strange thread of some kind connecting them and the gloves to Mumbo's wand. She felt more than saw her soulself flowing from her avatar, wrapping around the cannons like so much string, and she pulled it taut, slicing through and dispelling the weapons. She pushed her awareness back to the physical and observed the attack's effectiveness.

It worked too well, unfortunately. The cannons shattered like glass, then so did the gloves. The magical backlash was too much for the wand and it exploded, taking the criminal's right hand with it. She stood there, eyes frozen on the stump of torn muscle and broken bone that signified Mumbo Jumbo's permanent retirement from a life of crime.

She forced her attention onto the building her team was taking refuge in. "You can come out. Mumbo is, well, incapacitated."

Predictably, Robin was the first to walk over to her. "Impressive, I was afraid we were going to have to retre…" His gaze found Mumbo, and then zeroed in on what was left of his hand. "Raven, what did you do?"

"It was unintentional. I was attempting to neutralize his weaponry, but their destruction," she shakily pointed her hand at their enemy, "caused an unforeseen result."

"This, I can't cover this up, Raven. When the reporters get ahold of it, and they will, they'll have a field day. You know they're always looking for dirt on us."

This direction of thought confused her. "How would they make this our fault? It appears to me that he overloaded his wand, any expert on magical artifacts would tell you that its violent destruction is by no means unlikely. It is in fact fortuitous, a criminal who could not be rehabilitated is no longer a public threat. This is good news!"

"You're right, this is good news, except for one little thing." He walked over and forced his way into her personal space, peering down at her. "His actions didn't cause this, _yours did_."

"He knew, when he first committed himself to breaking the law, that there were risks involved. Imprisonment is but one of them." She shook her head. "I fail to see why we cannot steer the information in a positive direction; if he had not attempted his crime, he would not be in this position now."

"It doesn't matter," Robin said, "I have to report to the chief of police any time someone is injured as a consequence of our actions, and he won't take this well."

"Why? No civilians were injured."

"Even if Mumbo was an enemy, _he was still a citizen of Jump! _" Robin thundered. "If you had been more careful, we wouldn't have to deal with this situation!"

By now, Cyborg and Starfire had made their way over, Beast Boy still unconscious on Cyborg's broad back. "Whoa!" he shouted, "That's out of line, Robin. He was cuttin' us down one by one, and Raven stopped him before he caused any more damage. If it wasn't for her, he'd have gotten away with it."

"But friend Robin is right. Friend Raven has enough control of her powers that she should not have had to cripple the Mumbo. Perhaps, friend Raven, you should wait for assistance in future."

Robin took the pause in the conversation as acceptance on Raven's and Cyborg's part. "We need to make sure we capture criminals with minimal injuries, otherwise we are no different than they are. The city would lose faith in us if we have to resort to extremes whenever we fight."

"Until we begin committing crimes, we will be different from them," Raven retorted as she walked away from them. "And with everything we have done for this city, they owe us far too much to begrudge how we fight."

* * *

Jinx entered the hideout to find Gizmo and Mammoth prepping for a venture into the city. "So, where are you guys going?"

"Jinx!" Baran yelled as he pulled her into a hug. "Where were you?"

"Baran, I'm fine. I was just having some tea with a new friend."

"Who?"

"Um," how was she going to say this?, "it was Raven."

"Raven? Ya mean that scuzz-guzzling Titan?" Gizmo sneered. "What the hell were you doing hanging out with that kludge-brain?"

Strangely, now that she had gotten to know the dark witch, Jinx wasn't going to let this go on. "Hey, she's not as bad as all that. When you get her by herself, she's actually, well not _friendly_, but nice enough. She doesn't do all that preachy crap, either."

She pulled away from Mammoth. "She actually gave me some help. Giz, I've got some names for you to run. Bank accounts, contacts, histories, the whole nine yards."

He scurried over to his computer. "Yeah, yeah. What are they?"

"Richard Grayson, Garfield Logan, and Victor Stone." Should she do it? "Also get me absolutely everything you can find on Rachel Roth. _Everything_, you hear me?"

"Okay, I've got the searches going. Ya gonna tell me who these people are now?"

She couldn't stop the evil grin any more than she could the sun rising. "Yep. In order, they're the private IDs of Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven herself." She giggled at the dumbfounded faces she got from the boys. "Like I said, she gave me some help."

* * *

**If Rage can manipulate Raven, why can't Joy?**

**Um, it might be a bit late, but I enjoy reading stories where the consequences of battle are real and un-sugarcoated. So, yeah, Mumbo's not going to have any further part in this story. He won't be the only villain sacrificed to Raven's powers, either. As my plans stand currently, there will be one who loses his sanity, and another his life.**

**I need to clarify something: I don't hate Robin. Really, I don't. I just think he's not the best fit—hell, he's a _bad_ fit—for the role of leader. He always struck me as extremely uptight, and he's also a bit of a hypocrite. He demands information from others (Spellbound, Beast Within) and criticizes his team for acting without his approval (Snowblind) while playing his own cards close to the vest (anyone remember the Red X debacle?). In this story, he has also been moving towards his eventual evolution to Nightwing, so he's even _worse_ than he is in canon. Needless to say, these confrontations are just going to get more intense as Raven's friendship with someone outside the Tower becomes stronger.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	6. Trust but Verify

**Guest #1:** Yeah, it's best they never learn about that. I figure that criminals take full responsibility for injuries they sustain.

**Anon021:** It won't be complete for a while, so you'd be waiting for a long time. Jinx is a thief through-and-through, and Raven technically never said she wanted her to keep that a secret. I had Raven speaking more informally in my first draft, but it sounded _really_ bad.

**Selonianth:** I was under the impression that the Robin in TT was Dick Grayson, mostly due to the episode "How Long is Forever". And while I agree that Batsy is why he's such a stick in the mud, that doesn't change that he _is_ one.

**Spikesagitta:** Glad you like her. I don't understand the double standards, either.

**Guest #2:** I'm with you, he is way too uptight.

**nada129:** I have issues with Robin, but I really hate Beast Boy, always have. I think it's because he was just so immature in the show that I never wanted to pay attention to him.

**TehMaskedWarrior:** Yep, people forget that Raven went head-to-head with a full-blown demon _and won_; that shows just how much power she keeps locked up. As for Jinx… she screwed up big time, but as I told Anon021, she's keeping her promise to Raven by not telling anyone about the Ascension; nothing was ever mentioned about their names.

**jtdarkman:** Ha ha, she will _not_ be happy, and Jinx is going to regret it, especially when she sees what happens when Raven flies off the handle.

**The Raven-centric scene in this chapter just did _not_ want to be written. It was crucial to the story, and I pushed through it, but it isn't as good as I think my other chapters were. Oh well, them's the breaks.**

**Disclaimer:** Did we ever see Raven chat with her Emoticlones? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 6  
****Trust but Verify**

(7 weeks until Ascension)

It had been two days since her meeting with Raven. Two days since she gave the identities to Gizmo. Two days stuck inside the base waiting for his info. Two days worried that this might end any developing friendship with Raven, and wondering why it was so important to her, anyway.

At last, he exited his lab carrying three binders, two four-inches thick and one three-inches thick, and a few loose sheets of paper. He marched up to her spot at their kitchen table and slammed them down. "You wanted the pit-sniffing info, you get to read it."

"Come on, Gizzy," Jinx whined, "just give me the short version, 'kay? _Pleeeease? _"

The pint-sized genius grumbled a bit but finally relented, pushing the thick binders over. "Fine. Grayson and Stone are the easy ones. Birth certs, bank accounts, school records, they've both got some military contacts. Combat training for Robin and the robot's surgery records are all there. No living family for either of 'em, besides Wayne for Robin, of course.

"Logan's got less on him." The—relatively—thinner one slid to her. "I found him eventually, but for the time between his parent's death when he was little and him getting an account at 13, he's off the grid. Once he joined the Titans, I got anything you want, including which chicks he's slept with and when.

"Roth is weird; the girl's a total ghost." He threw down the loose paper on top of the other backgrounds. "She's got two bank accounts, one here in Jump, one in Switzerland. There's a petition for U.S. citizenship, granted that day, and the same payment plan the other Titans have. But besides that, nothing, just a whole bunch of fart-smelling, mulch-ripping _nothing!"_ He fell into a chair grumbling.

Jinx took a moment to look over the pages on Raven he gave her, finding only a few things he hadn't mentioned, mostly debit charges to bookstores and cafés, including _Phoenix_. Giz certainly had worked hard, she could throw him a bone. "This matches up with what she told me about herself. Roth's an alias she created when she came here."

"An alias!" Gizmo shouted as he jumped up. "That makes a lotta sense. You get a name and country for her?"

She shook her head. "Not here as in Cali, here as in _Earth_." Giz dropped back down. "She said her real name's Raven, daughter of Arla, or Ariel, or something like that. What you found is all she probably has.

"I'm curious about that Swiss account, though. Did any of the others have one?"

"Nope, just her."

Jinx glanced at her short teammate. "You feeling up to breaking the Swiss?"

"Yeah, yeah," he groaned as he walked back to the lab. "Just get me some coffee or something. It'll take a couple of days."

* * *

It had been two days since her meeting with Jinx. Two days since she crippled Mumbo. Two days since her team, with the exception of Cyborg, began treating her like she was a threat. Two days locked inside her room, discovering what a mental breakdown felt like.

Outwardly, she appeared as if she were sleeping, but in her mind was chaos. Never before had an argument broken out amongst her emotions, and she prayed it _never_ happened again.

"I'm telling you," shouted Joy, "they were just a little scared! Give them time and everything will be fine, just like it was before all this!" Behind her stood Fear and Love, pressing for the other emotions to realize that there was a simple misunderstanding, that nothing had changed.

"And _I_ am telling _you_," yelled Courage, "they have known us for _five years!_ There should be no need for additional time! If they have no trust in us by now, they never will!" Unusually, Insolence and Rage were flanking her, ready to use all the power they possessed to force the others to see sense. The Titans' betrayal of Raven's trust at this juncture was irredeemable; anyone who could spend as much time around Raven as they had and still mistrust her was not, could _never_ _be_, an ally.

Wisdom stood in the background, able to logically accept both sides but incapable of integrating them into a cohesive whole. Three emotions for the Titans, three against, one abstaining; none of the women would yield their positions, and none were sufficiently broad in their nature to be a peacemaker. Their quarrel could last to the end of time.

Until Raven appeared, all patience long since lost.

"_What_ are all of you doing?!"

Wisdom was the first to speak. "We are unable to reach a consensus over how to interpret the actions of our teammates. On the one hand, our actions against Mumbo were different enough for them to be apprehensive, but on the other, they should understand us by now. Crippling the enemy was an unexpected, but beneficial, side effect of disabling his weapons, not our main goal. They should fear us, yet at the same time, they should not. You are the only one who can make this decision for us."

"Decide this for you?" Her emotions generally had nothing to do with her; in fact, she could not remember ever interacting with Love or Impudence. Now they were relying on her to arbitrate? "Why?"

"It is as I told you," Rage said, "we are mere aspects of you. This is the first time we have been deadlocked like this, but it is clear why. You, yourself, are torn over how to accept your teammates', your _friends'_, reactions."

"I have no confusion on this subject."

"D-don't lie…" said Fear. "You're sc-cared ab-bout what this m-means…"

Raven looked at the emotion in shock, for Fear rarely spoke, at least while in Raven's hearing. "I have no choice but to accept that my actions were unacceptable to the team at large. If I wish to remain a member, I must cease experimenting in the use of my abilities."

"No choice my ass," said Impudence.

"I agree with the orange one," Wisdom announced. "If you had no choice on the subject, you would not have the account at the Suisse, you would not be 'confiscating'those objects, and you would not have contingency plans. But you do have them, and you have choices, even if you are uncomfortable with them.

"We know that our actions run counter to the philosophies of Richard, Kori, and Garfield. The important question, in my opinion, is whether our actions were unacceptable in and of themselves. Personally, I think not."

Joy spoke next. "On that, we're all agreed. We protected our friends, we defended the helpless, and we have spread happiness through Mumbo's defeat!"

"Ignoring the prattle", Rage said, missing Joy's glare, "she does have a point. At no instance in the battle did we act against the mission goals, nor did we violate any laws. The issue is not with our action, but with our teammates.

"The Titans are led by the weakest member. None of the other three fight to their full potential, but they only hold back by a small margin. We, though, have the greatest power, power you have never truly tapped into, even in the fight against Father. You decided to experiment, and the result was predictably unpredictable. To us, it was a logical decision and only a small step toward our full capabilities; crippling Mumbo was a relatively minor setback, one that will be less likely now that we understand what occurred. To the Titans, it was a display of strength they have not seen since Father; you reestablished the fact that you are not human, no matter how much you appear to be. They fear what you can do just as Jinx did when you spoke with her, and, in their minds, they ask themselves if you are developing demonic thoughts in addition to demonic talents."

Raven shook her head; they were not, could not be thinking that about her. "You're wrong."

"Do not try to deceive yourself! You tasted their fear after the battle, noticed it strengthening whenever you approached them!"

"If you are correct, what am I supposed to do, Rage? Beat them over the heads with my heritage until they tire of it? Use my powers to _force_ them to do what I wish? Yes, _that_ will certainly work out well."

"Or you could reanalyze your rationale for becoming a hero to begin with. I believe the circumstances have changed." At Raven's confusion, she continued, "Let us be honest. You did not become a hero for the _'warm fuzzy feeling'_ that protecting the weak would give you, nor did you do it to gain admiration from others. Your reason was selfish: you wanted to build up a 'karmic credit', for lack of a better term, to balance out the evil you would be a part of with Father's release.

"But you never expected to defeat him. The changes he wrought on the world were undone and only the other Titans and Slade even know what happened, so you really committed no wrong. You continue to do good—other than your 'appropriations', of course—but you have no reason to. Your goal is complete, and it is only the camaraderie between you and the other Titans and the battles themselves that keep you going. That is, after all, why you confronted Jinx alone; you wished to confirm that punishing the guilty had lost its allure, and confirm it you did.

"You cannot rely on your team any longer, especially if you wish to finally discover what you can truly do. Is the thrill of combat enough for you to continue on this path?"

"I can count on Cyborg," Raven said. She did not refute Rage's other points, and she was not sure she could. Realization suddenly struck her, "You did not just influence my thoughts with Jinx that night, you actually _spoke through me_! When I said that I was tired of playing a hero!"

Rage nodded. "That I did, and I do not regret it. As for Victor, I admit that he, at least, has proven himself trustworthy. Don't think I missed that you ignored my other arguments; even if you will not confirm them aloud, stop denying the truth to yourself."

What could she say to that? She was, in fact, disenchanted with her role as a superhero. The public generally ignored her in favor of her more camera-friendly teammates, she was becoming more distant from her friends, and anyone she met would expect her to either defend them or fight them.

"Not true," Love said, her voice soft and slightly sultry. "Jinx, someone we have fought since the early days of our exile, came to us wanting answers, and then stayed when it became clear that we were willing to engage in peaceful conversation. She even agreed to meet with us again, and all it took was acting slightly less… _prickly_. Perhaps we would find more people that could care about us, about _you_, if we continue to look."

"Yeah! If _someone_ stopped being such a grouch, we could make plenty of friends!" cheered Joy.

Courage sighed. "I cannot believe I'm agreeing with the hippie twins over there, but maybe we could find some others willing to get down and dirty if we ignored the unofficial _'the team has to stick together'_ rule Robin has. And your girlfriend is certainly willing to shake things up."

"She is not my girlfriend, Courage. I accept your advice, though, all of you. I have not made a 'friend' who was not either a Titan, Honorary Titan, or ultimately a traitor in the five years I, we, have been here. Perhaps it is time for a change."

* * *

Five days. It had taken Gizmo _five days_ to break through enough security in the Credit Suisse bank to access Raven's account there.

Jinx sat down at the table in the kitchen, Baran on her left and Giz on her right. It was the same one she had been at when he gave her the first information on Raven, so it felt right that they continue the discussion there. The fact that the trio also sat here to plan their heists and inevitable battles with the Titans soured the mood a little, though.

"Alright you crud-munchers, here's what I found on the documented owner of the account, one _Ms. Vogel_. She opened the account a little over a year and a half ago, and has been transferring money into it ever since. On average, this is where she keeps about sixty percent of her liquid assets. She also has a good dozen things in there besides her money, most of them registered as relics. Here's a list, see if you recognize any of this crap; I sure as hell don't."

Baran took a quick glance before passing it over to her. Examining it, she noticed that all the labels were cryptic descriptions, showing that Raven remembered everything she had stored and didn't want anyone else to figure it out. "I've got no idea. Without the stuff in front of me, it's hopele—"

One particular object had caught her attention, an artifact labelled _'pos Sp. St. Martin, Venice'_. Jinx knew immediately what this was; she had been questioned about it, one of the few times she was actually innocent of what the cops were accusing her of.

"I think I recognize one of these. This one, right here. 'pos Sp. St. Martin' is short for 'possible Spear of St. Martin', a weapon that was rumored to be used to slay demons in the Dark Ages. It was brought over to the Jump City museum from Venice about two months ago and disappeared, so the museum was investigated. They found that it had lost tons of artifacts. Actually," she scanned the list again, identifying several more now that she knew what she was looking for, "a lot of these could be what was missing. I think our little bird might have some sticky fingers all her own!"

"Do you know why she wanted all these?" Baran asked.

"Not off the top of my head, but I remember that these are all supposed to be powerful magical artifacts. She's a sorceress, so I could see why she would want them." Jinx gave the list one last look and saw several items with the same label. "Gizzy, any idea why Raven needs five passports?"

He shrugged. "Nope. You're our new expert on all things Raven."

"Well, I don't know either." She got up from the table and walked over to her boots. "Let's ask her."

"How can we do that?"

She looked at Baran, who was in turn looking at her with worry. "We need to get her attention first. Anyone up for a heist?"

* * *

**I'm going to quickly reiterate, Raven doesn't use her telepathy and Wisdom and Rage can't since they are in her mind, so no one knows what the Titans are actually thinking except themselves. Each of her emotions has a personality and an agenda, one Raven is largely unaware of. Rage's is fairly straightforward, but I also have all the information. I shouldn't have released enough facts yet for the plan to be clear to the rest of you.**

**For those who don't know (like I didn't before doing some research for the chapter), the Credit Suisse is the second largest bank in Switzerland, and also the oldest. While I _obviously_ don't have an account there, I suspect that it's much more difficult to get information on clients than I described here, but it was necessary.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	7. Art in Motion

**Faded Flight:** This talk's going to go the same way the last one did: it'll have it's ups and downs : )

**Spikesagitta:** If you were banished from your homeworld and then your teammates found out your father was demon, wouldn't you have contingency plans? After the "The End" situation and her own "commandeering", she made sure she had resources in case she needed to bolt. A half-demon does not make a good hero, so yeah, you're going to see a bit of a darker Raven.

**SepticMind:** I'm glad you liked it, and that chapter was just to set the stage for these next few. I think we all know how Raven will take someone searching for her secrets: not well! Jinx is going to spend some time on the wrong side of Raven's powers, so hold on, we're in for a bumpy ride.

**jtdarkman:** Ha! Yes, it certainly is a twist.

**nada129:** If you hate those three, then there're a couple of scenes you'll definitely like!

**TehMaskedWarrior:** Yeah, if Raven became a villain, I would _not_ want to get in her way.

**borvaintavers86:** When a main character has multiple personalities, each one should get a little time in the sun. This isn't _exactly_ what she has, but close enough for my needs.

**decoy:** Glad you're enjoying it.

**Quick punctuation change: from now on, speech from one of Raven's emotions when she's not in Nevermore will have quotations, just like normal speech, though it will still be italicized. Raven's thoughts are going to be written without quotes, just like I've been doing.**

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven choose to fly or ride in the T-Car to fights when she can teleport? If so, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 7  
****Art in Motion**

A visitor to the Titan's Tower could have looked into the monolith's combined living room and command center and thought nothing was amiss. Cyborg and Beast Boy were sitting on the floor in front of the stadium-display-sized television and focused on their racing game. Robin was at the table reading a newspaper and occasionally writing facts and comments in a notebook laying next to his coffee. Starfire, whirling around the small kitchen like a tiny tornado, spent her morning preparing what was likely another dish of inedible Tamaran-inspired cuisine and being intentionally ignored by her male friends.

It first appeared that Raven was focused totally on the book in her hands, utterly uninterested in the room's other occupants. A persistent watcher, however, would notice that she had not turned a page for the past ninety minutes. Though her eyes stayed on the tome throughout that time, her attention was not on her sense of sight. Nor was it on her hearing, or her smell, taste, or touch. Instead, she was conducting an experiment of sorts and observing the results with her empathy and occasional telepathy.

_By Azar, it's disappointing how panicked my teammates are._ Every so often, she would intentionally wiggle on the couch she had claimed, causing it to squeak, or make a hum deep in her throat, and every time, three of the Titans would flick their eyes in her direction, making her wonder if she had shoved her face in a beehive from the intensity of honey flavor she was experiencing.

Cyborg had only looked over when she lightly coughed, his gaze and mind filled with concern. The metallic taste had cut through the pleasant sensation dancing on her tongue, and she had been more circumspect with her distractions. She was doing him a small favor, though, to make up for her mistake: with Beast Boy's concentration being split between the screen in front of him and the half-demon behind him, Cyborg's score had been steadily climbing and was now approaching his all-time record.

_One would think that they expect me to begin randomly attacking them. I spent the past several days in my room, true, but it is not that unusual for me to do such a thing. I have not said a word to them outside of the normal morning greetings, and am sitting here, simply reading a book. Are they really so afraid of me after our last battle that they are prepared to defend themselves here in the Tower?_

Perhaps the situation would have been improved if another enemy had chosen to commit a crime, but the city had been quiet. The chief of police had never been a fan of the Titans, and when Robin reported her… _unconventional_… capture of Mumbo to him, he had responded by releasing the information to the press. The headlines were all in the same vein: _'Titan's Terrorizing Takedown', 'Raven on a Rampage', 'Titans Dismember Their Foe'_. Thankfully, the public outcry Robin had worried about never materialized: most of Jump's populace were more than a little frightened of the dark Titan and unwilling to cross her, and the few who weren't, generally those she had personally saved, had defended her use of force, even writing letters to the local papers. The professional criminals were laying low for now, likely to allow whatever bad mood they believed she had been in that day to dissipate.

So, all in all, the atmosphere in the Tower should have been very relaxed, which only highlighted the stress filling it. _How much longer can this last_, she wondered. _Do we really need to fight someone before I can stop worrying about being stabbed in the back?_

The tension ratcheted up when the alarms started, the red light pulsing and klaxon shattering the false calm. Robin ran over to the computer screen to read the report. "There's been a break in at the museum, but no visuals have come through."

"You thinking it's the thief that's been coming in and out this whole year?" Cyborg asked. Thankfully, the siren was loud enough to cover Raven's gulp. She hadn't even known that there was an investigation; the little news coverage after the spear incident had been about staff incompetence and lazy record-keeping.

Starfire flew over to her boyfriend. "Someone has been stealing from the museum of the city?"

"Yeah, we don't have any idea who it is, only that they're taking a random assortment of artifacts. And no, Cy, this isn't in the storage rooms or the ancient or medieval history sections, it's… modern art?"

"So we have a villain with bad taste," Raven interjected, simultaneously perturbed and delighted by Robin's and Beast Boy's jumps. Even Starfire had dropped a few inches. _As sad as it is, I would have scared them more often if I knew how funny it was to watch!_

Cyborg looked over at her. "Looks like it. You up for a tussle after the thing with Mumbo?"

"I _am_ half-demon, Cyborg," she said as they raced for the T-Car. "We are _always_ ready for a fight."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

By the time the team had reached the museum, twenty-three minutes had elapsed since the notification. Not for the first time, Raven wished she was permitted to teleport to the scene of the crime in seconds rather than have to wait for the ground-bound boys to drive their toys. The _official_ reason against it was that no Titan was supposed to get into fights alone, ignoring that that was what often happened when they were on their nightly patrols. _If I asked Rage, she would likely say that the rule is meant solely to hold me back._ It was a sign of how troubled she was that she could no longer dismiss that possibility out of hand.

Thankfully, the delay had given the visitors time to get away from the soon-to-be disaster zone. They hurried through the corridors of the museum to the art sections, their hearing devoted completely to finding the sounds of their enemies.

"I don't know why they call this crap _art_," a whiny voice said from behind a closed door. _Gizmo_, she thought, and a glance at Robin confirmed it. If Gizmo was here, then Mammoth would be as well.

"_And the delightful Jinx,"_ Love commented.

Raven grimaced. _I made a big mistake_, she realized. _When I let her go that night, I gave her leverage over me. If she brings it up during the battle, then my team will be even __**more**__ distrustful of me. And then, not only did I not stop her heist, we even had a civil conversation when she followed me into _Phoenix_. I told her how my soulself works… I gave her our __**names**__, for Azar's sake! How could I have been so __**stupid?**_

Joy chose this moment to make her opinions known. _"It's not as bad as you're making it out to be, Raven. Yes, we could have told her less, but she was just as honest as we were. We're even on that score."_

"_Very true._" Wisdom, too, spoke up. Were all of her emotions going to involve themselves in this? _"There was enough information exchanged that we and Jinx would suffer equally if our conversation was used against us. It would be best if we spent our energy on a more productive activity than worrying; we are not sure she is even here!"_

"They call it art 'cause other people say it is and it's better than what they can do," Jinx's voice rang out, followed by Mammoth's grunt.

"…_Never mind?"_

Robin kicked the door open while extending his bo staff. "Titans, go!" Starfire flew ahead of the others, starbolts shining brightly from her hands, while Cyborg rushed in right on her heels. Beast Boy took a moment to shift his form into that of a cheetah, then he too entered the fray.

Raven held back. She knew that she needed to join the battle, but she was unable to shake the memories of her last meetings with the pink-haired thief. In the short time that they spent together, she had become familiar with the girl, her mind a whirl of activity, her emotional outlook dominated by her hardy good cheer. _Can I really fight her now? An hour or so in conversation, and she understands me better than Beast Boy or Starfire ever have. She is the only person to recognize that I have been wrestling with my Ascension meditation, the only individual on this __**planet**__ who even knows what the Ascension __**is**__._

"_You don't have a choice, my dear."_ Rage's tone was tinged with familiar bloodlust, _"If you try to avoid engaging, the others will realize that something is wrong. I never expected to say this, but we will need to act as is expected of us until our merge, until we can totally defend ourself against them. If we change our purpose too hastily, we run the risk of one of them getting in a lucky shot before we can leave."_

_I have not agreed to the merge, Rage. There is much more to consider—_

"_Don't give me that shit! We both know that you desire the merge, the power it will give you; you are a demonling, after all. You are delaying your answer so that you can query the others, but I can tell you right now that Wisdom, Courage, Impudence, and I would all vote in favor._

"_Now, we have no more time for talk, the others have begun the fight. We have only one choice; attack!"_

Her team had, indeed, reached their targets. Starfire and Cyborg had partnered against Mammoth, Starfire peppering him with her bolts until the slower metal man had gotten in range and slammed his fist into the side of the red-haired giant's head. The metahuman flew back six or seven feet onto the ground, where Cyborg again threw a punch. This one Mammoth caught, and grabbing him by the head, he flung her teammate across the room and into the wall. Starfire had seen the opening and took advantage of it, her eye beams catching the giant in the ribs and sent him into the wall opposite Cyborg. The two men were momentarily dazed, laying on the ground in ironically identical poses.

Robin ran after the tiny technical terror. His first strike was blocked by two robotic legs that sprouted from Gizmo's harness, and he was forced to back off after a set of arms, terminating in blasters, unfolded and began firing on the hero. Robin drew a number of birdarangs, Gizmo deployed wings and twin rockets, and their fight devolved into a ranged game of cat and mouse.

Jinx was the member of the H.I.V.E. trio in the most danger. Her hands were flashing with her pink pseudo-magic, the hexes cracking the floor, the frames of the paintings, the sculptures on their stands, but none of her actions could halt Beast Boy's assault. Melting into a python, swelling into a bull, jumping and collapsing into an eagle, he continuously dodged her strikes as he advanced on her position.

Raven lifted herself from the floor and hovered, unsure of where she would be the most help. She decided that Gizmo was the one most likely to escape, and had started to fly towards him when honey flowed in her mouth. The experience was unusual, tinged with a sharp crackle of static and floral undertones.

She turned her eyes back to the bad-luck charm. She was quickly, desperately, dancing away from the shapeshifter, but for all her backflips, powers, and bloody-minded grit, the distance between them was shrinking second by second. The girls' eyes met, and Raven did not need to be a telepath to understand the message in Jinx's gaze.

_Help me, please!_

Casting a hurried glance over her surroundings, Raven's soulself lifted a poor imitation of a massive daisy, constructed from nearly fifty toilet seats according to the display, and hurled it at the dueling duo just as Beast Boy was about to land a hit. They sprang apart.

"Dude, watch it, Raven!"

She deliberately misunderstood the remark. "I will not throw around any nice pieces, there is no need for concern." A painting aimed at the two punctuated her statement. "Go help Robin, I can take care of her."

The green young man looked at the girls. "Okay, just don't go crazy like you did with Mumbo." He reformed himself as a sparrow and soared after the villainous inventor.

Jinx stared at her for a moment, then a grin split her face before she quickly covered it back up. With a jerk of her head, she sped towards a doorway to another area of the museum. Raven paused, then, seeing that none of her teammates were looking in her direction, followed.

* * *

Their chase took a couple of minutes, ending in the section devoted to the native cultures of the continent. Pink sparks shot towards the six cameras in the room, then the thief flopped down on the ground with a sigh. "That was a close one."

Shadows pooled underneath her, lifting and lengthening to wrap her entire body up and bind her in place. Ignoring the betrayal pasted on the girl's face, Raven walked over to her. "What the _hell_ are you doing here, Jinx?"

"_Moi?_ Is it so hard to believe that I want to be more culturally aware?"

"Don't try to be cute!" Raven snarled, her soulself starting to slither out from the bottom of her cloak, "Now answer the question!"

"I nee… ed t… talk… you…" Jinx gasped, her face turning rosy, then edging into blue.

"_Let her up, Raven!"_

Shocked by Courage's shout, she dispelled her soulself and covered her mouth in grief as Jinx's ribs visibly expanded and relaxed. In her anger, she had tightened the restraints she formed and had almost crushed the thief's chest. Jinx coughed in between her swallows of air, and finally forced herself to speak. "Dammit, girl, when you said you're deadly, you weren't pulling my leg."

"I… I am sorry, I did not mean to—"

The pinkette waved away Raven's apology. "S'my fault; this wasn't the best plan, looking back on it. I wanted to get in touch with you, but since I can't just walk up to your front door and knock, we had to do it a roundabout way."

"What about your teammates?"

"Ah, they know the plan. As soon as we took off, they were supposed to make their way to the exits and get out of here. Your pals should be chasing them, so we'll have a bit of time."

"Time for what?" _What could be so important that Jinx would risk herself and her team just to talk to me?_

The girl hesitated, "Well, I had Gizmo do some work, and, um, he found a couple of things that didn't make any sense."

"What _'things'_ are you referring to?"

There was a pause. "Just some things about you. Or, Rachel Roth, really. Is that threat of tearing my mind apart still in play?"

"Yes." Raven glared at Jinx. "If you think it will make me angry, you should just come out and say it."

"Okay, um… It's about your Swiss account, though, so…"

Raven fell back a step. _No one_ should know about that bank account; it wasn't even in her alternate name, but instead under 'Angela Vogel'. _How did Jinx find out about it? Why was she even looking? Who else knows? Does she realize what is in it? When did—_

"Raven… _Raven_… Look, I get that you're pissed, but _call it off! _"

Jinx's cry called her back to reality in time to see a mass of tentacles, covered in gaping maws filled with needle-thin, razor-sharp teeth and breathing out a veritable miasma of sickly green vapor, reaching out from a black-edged hole in the wall to grab and presumably devour the thief. A flashback to the one and only horror movie she had ever seen gave her the source of this eldritch abomination.

_Fear, whatever you are doing, stop!_

"_S-sorry…"_ The entity from the realm of nightmares halted, then fell apart into thick dark smoke. _"I d-didn't __**m-mean**__ to…"_

Jinx looked between the now solid wall and the half-demon. "Raven, I'm calling in that favor you owe me. _**What**__ the holy __**fuck**__ was __**that!**__"_

* * *

**It's only been two weeks for Raven since Rage returned, and already there's some significant blurring of the lines between their personalities. Just think what she'll be like when the Ascension finally happens. At the rate this story is going, that'll be around… chapter 100 with my luck : (**

**My first battle scene with the whole team involved. Yes, I know it sucks, and any advice would be _so very much_ appreciated.**

**When I said that Fear had the power of materialization in the second chapter, were any of you confused about what I meant? If so, now you know. It's funny; she is the "scaredy-cat" of Raven's emotions, and yet, she's the one that is guaranteed to keep you up at night, recalling your childhood fears of the monsters under the bed.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	8. Breaking the Girl

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** It's partly because she's siding with Robin more often, as I said in chapter 1, and partly that Raven crippling a villain is _very_ out of character for her, more demonic than anything else; if the girl who can go toe-to-toe with Trigon loses it, what can they possibly do to stop her? That's why all three of them are panicking, actually. Also, I think Star did act like that during "Spellbound", after Raven used dark magic on Kardiac, and I know that the entire team did at the end of "The Prophecy".

**Ibskib:** Jinx was paid back for revealing that info by almost being killed… twice. I could explain other aspects of the situation, but I think I'll wait until in comes up in the next chapter.

**jtdarkman:** It's one word, I think. I've never played Darkness, to be honest.

**Spikesagitta:** Yeah, as long as she isn't killed/knocked out first, Fear is going to protect her.

**SkyDog:** Don't worry about damaging my ego, it's plenty tough! : ) The reason that the Titans are so terrified is threefold: first, they never _saw_ what happened because they were behind cover until Raven called them out, so all they heard was Raven's mantra and Mumbo's scream (the unknown is _always_ scarier than what you can see). Second, while Raven is unnerved about what happened, she's good at keeping her emotions off her face, which means that they see her standing remorselessly over Mumbo, who's still moaning in pain. Altogether, they don't realize that it was an accident, but instead think that she intentionally ripped his hand off, which as I told InsanitySorrow 2.0 above, would be much more demonic behavior than she's ever demonstrated except when she was possessed by Rage/Trigon, who they know is dead and gone. The third reason is that this isn't the first time she's acted differently in battle; more will be explained by Robin himself later.

I hope that explained why Robin, Star, and BB are acting the way they are. Feel free to shoot me any other questions or critiques!

**Fears Unspoken:** I've seen a _few_ stories with the Emoticlones as characters, but they were just so bland. Ten to thirteen years is more than long enough for them to develop their own personalities.

**Selonianth:** Rage is the strongest of her Emoticlones and therefor has more influence. That's why, in "Nevermore", Raven couldn't defeat Rage until she had the others shared their power with her; with Trigon's powers thrown in the mix as well, the situation is even more unbalanced.

**Dawson, nada129, qweenseeker, TehMaskedWarrior:** Thanks for the review!

**Okay, folks and friends, I have good news and bad news. The bad news (for you) is that I started the first year of medical school on Monday, so my free time, a.k.a. my writing time, is shortly going to shrink down to a few hours on weekends and maybe—_maybe_—getting one chapter out a week. The _good_ news is that over my vacation last week, I managed to get a lot written for each of my stories, and all that's left is putting everything together and polishing it. This means you'll have a few weeks of our regular schedule before the several-week-long delays hit.**

**Disclaimer:** Was Raven ever shown using her power of creation outside "Fear Itself"? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 8  
****Breaking the Girl**

Fear, whatever you're doing, stop!

"Sorry…"_ The entity from the realm of nightmares halted, then fell apart into thick dark smoke. _"I didn't **mean** to…"

_Jinx looked between the now solid wall and the half-demon. "Raven, I'm calling in that favor you owe me. _**What** the holy **fuck** was **that!**_"_

* * *

Jinx considered herself to be an easy-going kind of person. She rolled with the punches when her plans didn't fall out the way she wanted, she usually let people off the hook if they accidentally screwed her over, and when she got thrown in the pen after fighting the Titans, she pulled on her big girl panties and toughed it out until someone sprang her. All that said, one thing she didn't take too well was almost getting _eaten!_

"I'm. Waiting."

Raven's face twitched, and she was sure that on anyone else it would have been a grimace, but if there was one thing the Titan excelled at, it was keeping her cards close to her chest. Considering that she knew the reason for that, she would normally have less of a problem with the habit, but again, _being eaten_.

"That… was a manifestation I accidentally created after watching a horror movie."

"Okay," well, that was one activity crossed off of any _'lets hang out with Raven'_ activity list, "I get that, but I'm still wondering about why I was almost dinner!"

Raven actually cringed at that; it looked like she hadn't _planned_ to kill her, at least. "I am quite sorry about that, Jinx. It came out because I was startled that you even knew about my banking habits."

_Startled? Your face showed more along the lines of 'life flashing before your eyes' panic_. "I was right, the artifacts you've been shipping to Switzerland _were_ from the museum! I got hauled in for questioning when that spear of St. Martin went missing, you know. Thanks _so much_ for that!" She took a deep breath and let it out. The threat was over, there was no need for all that adrenaline rushing through her blood. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say that your teammates don't know that you're the reason all that stuff disappeared."

A shake of Raven's head was her only answer.

"So, if the other Titans are in the dark, that means that you weren't told to move them for their protection. You're doing it by yourself," she mused. An impossible thought struck her, causing her to chuckle. "You're obviously moonlighting as a thief to take after me. Who knew that one of the good guys wanted to be a bad girl so much?"

"**I am not a thief!"** Raven… actually, Jinx had no clue how to describe Raven's voice right then. She could kinda hear the heroine's normal tone, but it was laced with a dark, guttural rumble, one that rattled her bones and prompted primal, terrified thoughts in the deep reaches of her mind. Her gut, which had saved her so many times in her eighteen years, shouted at her to run, run until her legs fell off and then drag herself with her arms, anything to get away from the monster in human skin in front of her.

Another part of her felt differently. _With a growl like that, I bet she's an __**animal**__ in the sack…_

"**I claim these artifacts to keep them from those who would misuse them! Their power is greater than mortals like yourself could ever imagine; you cannot be trusted with them!"** As Raven spoke, she floated upwards, her eyes a malevolent crimson. Her cloak billowed up along the ground, stretching without any visible tears, and tendrils of darkness poured out and seemingly _dissolved_ whatever they touched. Jinx's instincts yelled louder at her to find safety, and even her libido, which had been focused on the idea of legs that _literally_ stretched on forever, was too scared to make a comment. She realized she had been retreating only when her back hit the wall, and a pitiful whimper passed through trembling lips.

Somehow, that small sound was enough to snap Raven out of whatever homicidal breakdown she was suffering from, and she dropped to the floor, eyes returned to purple and her cloak folding back on itself. "I… I…" Whatever she wanted to say stuck in her throat, and she stepped backwards several feet before turning to run.

"Wait!" Jinx blinked at the words coming from her treacherous mouth. _She almost killed me, __**twice**__, and I'm keeping her from leaving? What the fuck is wrong with me?_

Raven seemed to have just as much difficulty understanding the situation. She glanced at Jinx with eyes that seemed far too young, and the thief, against her better judgement, slowly walked over to her.

"Raven, I need you to do something for me, okay?" she said with the same soft tone that she vaguely remembered her older brother using with their goats when something spooked them. Raising livestock in an apartment building was not something she recommended; they were far too skittish for a big city. "Sit down on the ground. Take a deep breath, let it out. Now, tell me what that was you just did."

Raven had been following the pinkette's instructions, but at the last, she balked, and what little of her face Jinx could see paled even further than it was normally. "I'm sorry, Jinx," she whispered, "I didn't realize… I thought I was past this."

_How often am I going to be comforting this woman?_ Jinx wondered as she pulled Raven's hood down and ran her fingers through purple hair. _I mean, she's always been a tough— oh, wow, this is soft._ She leaned down to rub her cheek against it before she remembered where they were and _whose_ personal space she was invading again. Thankfully, Raven wasn't paying any attention to her; she seemed to be lost in her own head.

If Jinx only knew the truth…

* * *

"What were you _doing!"_ Raven yelled at her red-cloaked emotion. "I let you roam around free because you agreed to refrain from attacking, and now you nearly killed someone!"

"Technically, you're the one who nearly killed her," Rage said as she buffed her nails, which resembled claws now that Raven paid attention, on her cloak, "and I agreed to nothing, but I will accept some of the blame for this situation. I was, _overzealous_, I suppose. You have to admit, though, that the girl had no right to criticize us for taking those objects; we don't steal for profit or thrill. Those tools are far more dangerous than the humans know."

Raven snarled at Rage. "She does not have the full picture. And even if she did, there was no reason to lash out at her. Maybe I should leave you out of the merge if your presence will affect me this negatively."

The normal response to this declaration would have been more screams, or perhaps a full out fight between partial-human and near-demon; certainly not the high-pitched cackles of pure mirth that rushed from Rage's mouth. For several minutes, she would begin to calm down, only to look back at Raven and start her laughter anew, but finally she regained control of herself.

"Leave me out of the merge? Oh, my dear, you are so _pathetically_ misinformed. The merge is an all-or-nothing affair; you will not be able to just isolate one emotion. My sisters and I were born together, and we shall vanish together, be it the merge or your death. Unless you want to continue as a leashed cripple for the rest of your life, you are simply going to have to learn to live with me."

Raven groaned as she began pacing, her walk clearing a small circle in the ash that covered the ground in Rage's domain like a hideous parody of a winter landscape. Fires burned nearby, sustained not by any form of fuel but rather shooting up from the patches of molten rock on which they sat. A scent of burning flesh rounded out the macabre scene; it was obvious why Raven avoided this realm in her mind like a cat did a bath.

She muttered to herself, thinking through her dilemma out loud, while Rage simply leaned against a nearby heat-glazed boulder. Eventually she stopped and walked back to stand in front of Rage. "If my only options are to be a risk to everyone around me or not merge with you, then there is one reasonable outcome. I have lived my life perfectly fine with all of you as separate entities, and I can continue to do so."

"Even if it means being trapped with a team that doesn't respect you, forced to work in an occupation that no longer pleases you? Will you allow the _friendship_," the emotion spat, "you have tentatively formed with Jinx to fall apart before it even truly begins?"

"I have to!" Raven felt herself come close to tears, the second time in two weeks this had occurred. At least this time it was due to her own frustration and not from the painful burn Jinx's sorrow had inflicted on her, flavored as it was with the scorching heat of dried chili peppers. "How can I consent to the merge if I become a danger to anyone who even mildly irritates me?"

"First, the girl did not _'mildly irritate'_ you; she implied that you were acting on impulse and selfishness when you hid those relics. You pride yourself on your control and self-discipline, and you took her, unintentional, insult personally. From there, it is not strange that you would react badly.

"Second, while you _are_ more dangerous than normal when angry due to my nature as your demonic half, you seem to think that it is still an unstoppable force. Father is dead and gone, you have no reason to repress your temper. Repress _me_. There are billions of people on this planet, most of them human, and each one of _them_ feels angry at one point or another, yet you do not see them endangering all that is important to them. They accept their anger and move past it; there is no reason you cannot do the same."

Raven slowly nodded, then her head shot up as she understood what Rage was saying. "Stop! You are the embodiment of my anger and hatred, why would you possibly want me to _'move past'_ you? It would be in your best interest for me to spend all my time in a perpetual red haze, would it not? And yet, you say you want me to do the exact opposite. Why?"

"You still look at me as the shadow of Father that possessed me, don't you? I do not wish to control you; what benefit would that grant me? None! What I _want_, Raven, is to no longer be ignored, rejected, _banished_ to the most remote region of your mind. I _want_ to be as welcome here as my sisters are." Rage turned away from her creator. "I _want_ to not be alone anymore."

"Rage…"

"I think your friend is trying to get your attention. Leave this place. Now."

"I did not intend to—"

"_Get out!"_

Raven reluctantly moved away from her emotion. This was the second individual she had accidentally hurt today. She had no idea how to recompense Rage yet, but perhaps she could convince Jinx to forgive her.

* * *

Jinx was starting to worry about the purple-haired woman in her arms. She had been trying for a while to get Raven's attention: calling her name, shaking her, poking her, even slapping her cheeks. No matter what she did, the Titan stayed in her stupor, oblivious to the rest of the world.

_Did I do this?_, she wondered as she tossed out option after option to wake her—former enemy? friend? small-time partner in crime? hot, exotic, badass girl-next-door?—Raven, anyway. _There's so much about her I don't know. Like this, it's almost like she's… been thrown into a flashback, but of what? Has she harmed someone else with her powers? Maybe, even… killed someone important to her with them?_

Her own memories ran in front of her eyes. _Pink sparks. The groaning of an old, decrepit building. Cries of pain and pleas to the silent gods. A child bawling, all alone, a curse on herself and everyone who knew her…_

"_Don— don't cry, Nirupama…"_

"Do not cry, Jinx." Raven's hoarse voice brought her back to the present and she looked down into amethyst eyes. "If you cry, it will make me cry."

Jinx ignored her sense of danger as she grabbed the stoic woman and held on like a little girl would her favorite teddy bear. "I didn't mean to make you remember. Whatever you saw, I'm sorry. So, so sorry."

"No, you did nothing to…" Raven sighed, likely tired from reliving her traumatic experience once again. "I forgive you. Likewise, I apologize for _my_ attack on you. It was uncalled for."

"Heh, I still want an explanation of that, by the way. When you feel up to it."

"I can tell you now. I do not know how you will take it, however. Would you mind—" Raven stopped, then shoved the thief into a wall and brought a pile of leather clothing on top of her. The psion spoke once she was completely covered, cutting off her scathing retort. "_Be quiet!_ Robin, did you catch Gizmo or Mammoth?"

"No," said the Boy Wonder. At the sound of his voice, she switched from mentally insulting Raven to singing praises to her new best friend. "They ran away as soon as they realized they were beaten. How about you, I don't see Jinx."

"She escaped as well. I was unable to discover why they were here to begin with."

"Us too," rang out Cyborg's rich baritone, "they didn't say anything other than this being a bad plan. Come on, girl, we kept 'em from taking anything, so let's celebrate. First one to the T-Car picks the pizza!"

_Really? I appreciate that she's keeping me safe, but if she runs off for food and leaves me here, I'm **so** gonna—_

"Now is not the best time, Victor. Jinx said some things that made me a little, _annoyed_. It would be best if you four went by yourselves; I will meet you back at the Tower."

The other Titans agreed without much arguing, Jinx noted. When everything was silent once more, she felt the piles of garments come off of her. "There, now we have some time to discuss what happened today," Raven remarked with a grimace. "I know a small restaurant in Steel City that you should like; if you're hungry, that is."

Jinx's stomach growled, beating her to the punch.

"I will take that as a yes. Hold onto me."

More than a tad nervous at being so close to Raven's soulself, especially after the demonstration earlier that morning, Jinx tentatively reached out and took her hand. Raven smiled, then in a whirl of freezing darkness, the museum was empty.

* * *

Rage waited for her _mistress's_ mental presence to completely vanish before the smirk she had contained split her face. While she was not a real empath like Joy, even strengthened by her Father's powers, she still had more skill than Raven, who had never used it beyond passive reception. The woman had no clue that her talent could be used to cover her true feelings with whatever she wanted to present to the world. That naïveté would be her undoing.

She walked along the boulders strewn about her domain, claws casually chiseling channels on their surfaces. A long walk brought her to one particularly barren area, nothing more than a large bowl that had filled with the magma that oozed from many cracks in the ground. In the middle of the fiery lake stood a glassy black island; were the depression empty, it would be clear that the island was the flat top of an obsidian obelisk. She levitated herself from the cliff that rose above the lava and flew towards the platform.

At her destination, she stepped next to a tall rectangular mirror, one that, with the mystical carvings on the rough stone edges, somehow escaped looking out of place in the inferno Rage enjoyed living in. She tapped her claws against its surface as she gazed at her reflection, twisted beyond recognition by the evil powers she had stolen from Trigon at his death. "Soon… she cannot resist me forever…"

* * *

**Does Jinx seem a little ADD here, or is it just me? And on a related note, I'm… not happy with how Raven acts in the first scene. I know she seems a little too "helpless damsel", but this was the best I could get, and trust me, I tried just about _everything_ else I could think of; no dice.**

**Raven has a serious problem (like none of you know that already!). She is being tempted by her own personal demon; if she really wants the merge, she can't prevent the side effects without rejecting the prize at the end. Imagine, for a moment, what it would be like to have to fight your own nature. Every minute of every hour of every day of every year, she has to force herself to act like she is expected to when part of her wants nothing more than to rip apart anyone who so much as looks at her wrong. How many times, I wonder, did she wish she could let go, just for one day, and let her own evil nature out to do what it will? Now, she is offered the chance to stop fighting and be free without completely losing herself in the process; what would she consider too high a price to pay?**

**Raven and Jinx are two steps forward, one step back. Oh well, at least it's progress.**

**A little more of Rage's true nature is revealed. I _was_ going to show you what her real appearance is, but… I think I'll save it for a more appropriate time. Maybe when Raven finds out herself?**

**Silently Watches out.**


	9. Breaking the Silence

**nada129:** I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**Spikesagitta:** Well, Rage _is_ her demonic side. The worst part, though, is that Raven _doesn't know what you all found out about Rage!_ Yeah, that won't come back and bite her in the ass…

**borvaitavers86:** It will be, but I have a scene to post in the near future that should be a bit of a build-up.

**Chris ShadowMoon:** That is the question, isn't it? No, seriously, Raven's going back and forth on that idea, too. On the one hand, she'll have control over her powers for the first time in her life, and she'll be whole, mentally. On the other, with seven other personalities mixing with hers, she might be very different at the end.

**jtdarkman:** What can I say, I wanted to have everyone begging for the next chapter : ) If I get the time I'll look into them.

**Concolor44:** Whoo, boy. Eight reviews in a few days? I'm glad you're enjoying it, though! To answer the last three reviews: I know nothing at all about Swiss banks or their security; I was going by the principle that no computer system is totally secure. It helps that Gizmo is considered a genius. Raven _never_ goes all out (which I think you mentioned in _Transition_), but I maintain that no one can be weak and still beat a demon who's known for destroying entire dimensions in a straight fight. As for Rage… you're going to have to wait and see. Evil, aren't I?

**Zaan299:** That's the truth. If you want fury and scorn, though, get ready for next week.

**Disclaimer:** Do we ever see Raven consume anything beyond an apple, a slice of pizza, magical pie, and copious amounts of tea? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 9  
****Breaking the Silence**

Raven had described the bare basics of her soulself to Jinx, but like the pinkette, she had held back on the more important details. The 'rejection reaction' she spoke of was the result of her demonic side's natural ability to twist the fabric of reality into a form best suited for her. Just as Trigon had turned the world to fire and its inhabitants to stone, her very presence on Earth caused the evil buried in her soul to attempt to change the planet into a void, populated only by the absolute essentials necessary for her survival. To change it into a larger Nevermore.

So it was understandable that when Raven and Jinx at last arrived in Steel City, the thief immediately leapt away from her and vomited until there was nothing left in her stomach.

"Never… never again. That was just awful," she said, wiping her mouth off on her sleeve. Raven shrugged, that was the same reaction the other Titans had when she first teleported with her. The sensation of being in two contradicting realities at once was uncomfortable the first few times, but since it was mostly mental, they had eventually adjusted, even if none of them _enjoyed_ the experience.

She actually had no issue with their dislike of her ability, just as Starfire did not blame her for her distaste of _powering_ the alien's abilities with emotion and Cyborg accepted that she would never understand his total reliance on fickle and expensive technology. At least they were unaware that without her forming a psychic bubble around them, their minds would have collapsed and their souls been lost in between dimensions the first time they even attempted teleporting; if she had told them _that_, they would trust her even less than they did already.

"We are here, Jinx," she said, indicating the building behind them.

Jinx looked over at it and smelled the various spices drifting in the air. "I recognize this," she muttered, before she whirled around to face Raven. "How did you find a Bengali restaurant in the last week?" Seawater and chocolate poured off of her, but her happiness swiftly overtook her anger.

The sorceress shrugged dismissively. "Technically, it's not Bengali. Welcome to the _Flavors of Asia_."

* * *

The two girls entered the restaurant, which was only half-full due to the early hour. They were therefore quickly escorted to a table in the corner, pleasing both of them. Jinx preferred having a wall at her back to prevent others from sneaking up on her. Raven was simply grateful that they would be somewhat hidden away, where people might not immediately recognize them as hero and thief. After handing them menus, the hostess departed and left them to their dinner choices.

"Whoa," Jinx breathed, "I can see why you like this place. Bengali, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese; they must get a ton of business."

"To an extent; the owners prefer to have a small but devoted clientele. Honestly, I only found out that it existed when someone I saved asked me on a date."

"Did you go out with him?" Jinx didn't understand why she felt such a sudden surge of jealousy over that. It wasn't like it was any of her business what Raven did in her spare time, after all. Raven's empathy seemed to sense this, and she looked at the thief from the corner of her eye before returning her focus to her own menu.

"No, I did not. Fighting crime does not leave much time for social or romantic experiences unless it is with another Titan."

"What about Beast Boy, then? He seems to have a very _active_ lifestyle outside the team."

Again, Raven glanced at her, but this time her gaze did not waver. "How did you find out about where he spreads his attention?"

_Well, way to open your big mouth. I guess I should go ahead and 'fess up._ "I _might_ have had Gizmo run background checks on all the names you gave me while we were talking at the café." The Titan's eyebrows shot to her hairline, and her curious look took on an disgruntled cast. "Come on, Raven. You can't tell me you didn't do the exact same thing when you returned to the Tower."

"Actually, I can. We as a group were… otherwise occupied that day. Even if we were not, I would have respected that you told me your names in confidence."

"Oh." _Way to go, Jinx. Why don't you make it sound like you just wanted to talk to her for her intel?_ "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that was supposed to be a secret."

If Raven could kill with a look, the whole floor would be covered by bodies from the intensity of her glare. "And I suppose you revealed my background to your team, as well."

"No, no, no. All I said to Giz on that front was that you weren't from this planet, and that was only after he couldn't find any records on you. I knew that your, uh, 'culture clash' was just between the two of us." At _Phoenix_, in the museum, and now here; three times she had made Raven seriously consider murder. _I really need to find out where her 'berserk button' is and __**stay the hell away from it!**_

Apparently her honesty placated the 'goddess of death' side of the woman, for she was spared a horrific demise. Breathing a little easier, Jinx gathered her courage; if everything she was doing would piss off the sorceress, she might as well make her words worth their weight in gold. "So… you said you would explain the whole hungry hentai tentacle thing, and your little, um, _episode_ from earlier."

Raven absently nodded, then made a gesture to catch the attention of a nearby waitress. "A pot of green tea and a large bowl of the beef _pho_."

Jinx started; she had been so involved in talking that she never even looked at the menu. She had barely laid her eyes on the entry when she knew her choice was made, "I'll have the _maccher jhal_ and some water, please."

"That was quick," Raven said once their orders had been taken to the kitchen. "I doubt you even actually read it."

She shook her head. "No, but I haven't had _jhal_ in a long time. Not since…" She trailed off, not wanting to walk the dark path her memories would lead her down. Raven's gaze pierced her, and she knew she would have to give up _something_, especially after her earlier screw-up. "Not since my mother died."

"My condolences," the dark woman said in her normal monotone. Jinx felt her anger well up, but a look into purple eyes showed that apathy was the furthest thing from what Raven was feeling. _Come to think of it, her being so open like last time is actually really weird for her. Just from her voice, I'd think that she didn't feel anything; in fact, that was __**exactly**__ what I thought until we took the chance to sit down and get to know each other._

"Why do you do that?"

Another raised eyebrow was her answer. "Do what?"

"Talk like you do." She waved her hand, trying to explain what she was having trouble putting into words. "Like you're a robot or something."

"I was taught from a young age to control my emotions. Any outburst—anger, delight, terror, what have you—was enough instigation for my soulself to escape my grasp and begin destroying nearby objects. The Monks eventually decided that meditating to divorce my logical mind from my emotional mind had the best chance of preventing any additional injuries."

_**Not**__ what I was expecting._ "But you still feel them, if our chat in the café and today's little fright show were anything to go by." A nod of the head later, she continued, "So, do you have to meditate every so often, or was it a one-time thing and just didn't work out?"

Raven sighed, but thankfully it wasn't one of annoyance or boredom, just one that spoke of how tired she was. "I generally spend a total of three hours in daily meditation, though I have recently needed less for more sedate periods of time. Today, however, was anything but relaxed, and I allowed fear and rage to overtake me, at your expense. For that, I once again apologize."

"It's _fine_. Just, next time I'm about to _really_ set you off, tell me so I can stop talking and run away. Seeing your 'red eyes of doom' twice was more than enough for me."

Her dinner mate's slight cringe sent a lance of guilt into her gut. What was it about this girl that made her _always_ say the wrong thing? "I didn't mean it like that, I was just making a comment. I _am_ curious, though; what was it that I said that got you all hot under the collar?"

Raven was silent a moment, collecting her thoughts, before she began to speak. "All of the relics I took were extremely dangerous, far more than anyone has ever recognized. A spear whose cut causes instant death, a box that carries an incurable plague, a manuscript containing notes on reanimating and enslaving the dead; none of these need to be in view of the public. I have been a patron of the museum since the Titans formed, so it was not extraordinarily difficult to secure notice of new artifacts. Any time one arrived, especially if there were rumors of a magical history, I was called in as a consultant to verify its identity, and I used that opportunity to discern if it was dangerous or not. If so, I 'confiscated' it, for lack of a better phrase, and made it look like it had been misplaced. Until this morning, I was unaware that anyone was even suspicious.

"When you insinuated that I was stealing them for my own amusement or self-gain, I was… insulted, quite frankly. I acknowledge that I am generally purposeful to the point of staidness; while I have occasionally tried to move past my own boundaries and experience something new or spontaneous, I still find it uncomfortable in the extreme. To be called selfish and impulsive rankled greatly, and combined with other issues I am currently in the midst of, I lost control and allowed my power free reign."

That was certainly understandable to the chaos wielder. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that the whole one-handed-magician fiasco is one of those? Everyone heard about it. Honestly, I don't think you know just how much respect that bought you in the villain community; what you did is a pretty clear way to say _'don't fuck with me'_."

"I had assumed everything was quiet because they were scared."

"Not even close." Jinx pointed a finger at Raven. "We spend all our time in danger of going to prison and getting shanked, or having other criminals take us out, or lifting a target that's _waaay_ more than what we think it is and getting sucked into a black hole or something. Nah, compared to that, a hero who's willing to chop off a hand is small change."

"In my defense, I did not intend to cripple Mumbo," Raven muttered. "All I wanted to do was destroy his weapons and possibly burn the wand out, not overload it and force catastrophic failure. I am unsure if the respect of criminals is enough to counterbalance the fear my teammates now have for me."

"Whoa, wait, back up a minute. They're _scared_ of you? For taking out Mumbo when he was holding them down with one hand tied behind his back? What the hell, Raven, that sounds like a pretty shitty deal if you ask me. You pulled their asses out of the fire; the least they could do is _thank you_."

"Tell me about it," Raven deadpanned, and that was just too much for Jinx. She cracked up at the informal phrase coming out in the dark witch's normal voice, earning her several strange looks from the crowd, which had grown in the short time they had been sitting there. The smell of their food approaching caught her attention, and she managed to get ahold of herself by the time the waitress set their meals on the table.

"Okay, Raven, one quick rule before we dig in." Again the Titan showed her mastery of wordless replies by looking sideways at the pinkette. "In the Five—and even now that it's just me, Gizmo, and Baran—when we sit down to eat, we don't talk about anything serious. Meal time is for relaxing, not confessions or heist planning."

"You are implying that we are friends?" Someone new to the woman's behavior would have been put off by her attitude, but Jinx was starting to get familiar with the many moods of Raven. _Is that some warmth I hear in her voice? And a hint of a smile?_ "What do you intend to discuss if we are to avoid any weighty topics?"

"Consider yourself 'Honorary H.I.V.E.'," she replied, though mentally she was frowning at Raven's lack of experience with small talk. That was something that she would have to fix, and now was the perfect opportunity. "Let me tell you about why the Academy cancelled Home Ec after just two days."

* * *

"…and of course, there was only one piece of bait that they felt would be attractive to the dog-creature, never mind that I had spent the past several hours being _stalked _and_ assaulted_ by the mongrel. I could not even fly up and search for him! No, instead they forced me to walk all around the town, calling out 'Here, doggie, doggie, doggie' like an utter _idiot_."

Jinx was practically rolling about in her seat while letting out peals of laughter. Raven smiled even more broadly than she had been; once Joy had been informed of the plan, she was more than willing to hold back as much of their power as possible. The result was that the Titan was incapable of remembering the last time she had been involved in such a, dare she say, _fun_ situation as this.

"Do you know what the worst part is, Jinx? After finding out that the canine could speak English more fluently than Beast Boy, I was willing to overlook his flaws—even the copious drooling—and asked Robin if we could make the exchange permanent. He was certainly cuter and more entertaining."

"Stop, stop!" the thief gasped. "Oh boy, now I've got spice up my nose. _Owwww_." She took advantage of a momentary break in her giggles to discreetly clear her sinuses. Her breathing clear, she looked back at her lunch partner. "I think that one's funnier than when you found Robin practicing karaoke late at night."

Raven, too, chuckled at that; in hindsight it was amusing, but the only description for what she felt when she saw the teen in that compromising position was abject horror. That it was the last time the team allowed their leader to stay up for five days without a moment's sleep was _completely_ unrelated.

The hostess came up when she saw they were at a lull in their conversation. Her tone was pleasant, but it could not totally mask the undercurrent of exasperation. "Ms. Raven, I regret to inform you of this, but we need to clean the room for dinner. We will be more than willing to send you a bill. I am _sure_ that you have other things to do today."

Raven looked about and was surprised at the total emptiness of the restaurant. A check of the clock on her communicator showed that the two women had been enjoying each other's company for the past _five hours_; she was actually extremely impressed that the hostess managed to restrain her anger for this long. "Yes, that would be most appreciated."

The metahuman and half-demon departed the restaurant, still grinning over the many stories they had shared. It was Jinx who broke the comfortable silence. "Hey, Raven, think you can give me a lift to the _Phoenix_? I can make my way back to base from there."

"Are you sure you do not wish for me to take you home directly?" she replied with a smirk, enjoying the look of distaste on the other teen's face. "Yes, I can teleport us there. Come here; increased physical contact will alleviate much of the discomfort you first experienced." Jinx did just that, and she was surprised at how comfortable she found holding the thief in her arms. Pushing the sensation to the back of her mind, she swirled her soulself around them and slid over the intermediate distance, dispelling her power when they had reached their destination.

Jinx stepped back from her. "You know, that wasn't as bad as the first time. Maybe riding you a couple more times will completely break me in."

"Perhaps," she replied. "Now, if there is nothing more, I must bid you a good day."

"_Well_…" Jinx hesitated, "there is one thing. Something I want you to have; a present, kinda."

Raven gazed at the woman in slightly irritated curiosity, something she had been doing a rather great deal of this day. Resigned, she held out her hand, and Jinx obediently dropped into it something palm-sized, yellow, and hexagonal. "A H.I.V.E. communicator?"

"Yep! Now, it only has my contact in it, so you shouldn't be bugged by anyone else, and it's set on vibrate so it going off won't call all the Titans' attention to you. Other that that, it's just like the ones we use. Next time you want to go out, we won't run the risk of one of us getting tossed in the slammer."

She nodded, understanding the trust the pinkette was placing in her with the gesture. Given to Cyborg, they could easily trace the location of the one Jinx possessed, potentially leading to her entire team's capture. "Thank you, Jinx."

The villainess shrugged with a grin. "No biggie. Just don't leave me by the phone waiting!" With that, she merrily skipped off, leaving Raven alone until the Titan again vanished, reappearing in the Tower's main room.

"Good, you _finally_ showed up." Robin growled, the others behind him looking impatient and nervous. "Would you like to tell us what Jinx said that could have possibly taken you this long to calm down from?"

* * *

**No clue where any of this chapter came from, to be honest enough. Thankfully, my muse has a better idea of where the story's going than yours truly.**

**I don't know how much any one of you knows about Asian food, so feel free to skip down to the next note. If you know more about it than I and think I've messed up, feel free to tell me. In fact, _please_ do so.**

**Pho:** A Vietnamese soup dish made from thin slices of meat (generally beef or chicken) and rice noodles. Garnishes and condiments are served on the side and added according to the diner's taste.

**Maccher jhal:** A classic dish from Bengal, it's fried fish sitting in a light sauce made with chili powder or ground mustard and often served over rice.

**The H.I.V.E. communicator means no more heists just so the two girls can go on a date. It also means that they'll get together that much more often. Huzzah!**

**Silently Watches out.**


	10. Clash of the Titans

**jtdarkman:** Sorry to disappoint! Raven only goes "four-eyes" a few times in the series; it's more common for her eyes to simply glow red, kind of like she's going from human to half-demon rather than human to full demon. Not exactly how it works, but I think you get my point.

**whitetigerwolf:** He he he. Just keep reading.

**Spikesagitta:** Not quite Rage, but I hope you'll enjoy it.

**SepticMind:** I'm glad you liked it. I did enjoy working on those last few chapters, especially since so many people were on my case about the background checks; let Jinx give her thoughts on the matter, you know? When has Raven's luck ever been good?

**Celestia GF of the Void:** First, why can't I junction you in FF8? Some of the innuendo Jinx makes is going to fly right over Raven's head. Silly and sad, but it does come back to bite Raven in the ass in a future chapter.

**axehurdle, Hollowmist, nada129, Techpriest of Tzeentch:** Thanks!

**It's short, but the next scene just wouldn't work here. I hope you'll enjoy it anyway.**

**Disclaimer:** Do the Titans ever confront each other on-screen about their mistakes? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 10  
****Clash of the Titans**

_Raven gazed at the woman in slightly irritated curiosity, something she had been doing a rather great deal of this day. Resigned, she held out her hand, and Jinx obediently dropped into it something palm-sized, yellow, and hexagonal. "A H.I.V.E. communicator?"_

… … … …

"_Good, you **finally** showed up." Robin growled, the others behind him looking impatient and nervous. "Would you like to tell us what Jinx said that could have possibly taken you this long to calm down from?"_

* * *

"Why?" Raven asked. Her communicator had not activated, so they were not angry at her for being absent during a battle. She could not see another reason they would be distressed; spending time in solitude was not unusual for her. "Did you fight a criminal without alerting me?"

Cyborg stepped forwards slightly. "Nah, it wasn't anythin' like that. We were just a little worried about ya, that's all."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but your concern is unnecessary. I spent several hours meditating, then partook in a late lunch at a nearby restaurant. I fail to understand how that is a problem."

"It's not, not really. It's just…"

"We were afraid of how you would do the _'taking out'_ of your anger," Starfire interjected. "You spent several days meditating after you hurt the Mumbo, and this morning, you were still as jumpy as a _twiggledorf_ on a hot _bargutt_."

"You are implying that I would harm civilians." It was both question and accusation, and Raven was having difficulty keeping her indignation off of her face. Not once in five years had she intentionally injured a noncombatant, yet her team suspected that she would attack someone due to the same verbal spar she and Jinx had participated in since their teams had first come into conflict? _By Azar, they were never this suspicious of me, not even during the buildup to our conflict with Trigon!_

"In a word, yes." Robin strode in front of the rest of his team, taking a subconscious defensive position. A quick glance showed that both Starfire and Beast Boy had tensed as well, though Cyborg was immobile, indicating he, at least, did not support this confrontation. Robin's next words regained her attention. "You severely injured one villain, then attacked another without consideration of your teammate, who had already engaged her and was in danger of becoming collateral damage. If that wasn't enough, you disappeared for several hours, not contacting us to tell us where you were or what you were doing. Frankly, Raven, you're getting out of control."

_Out. Of. __**Control?**_ His words were the second time this day that she had been accused of losing her self-discipline, but this was a far more serious affair. Jinx could be excused somewhat; she had insulted Raven unintentionally due to her lack of information. Robin, however, knew exactly how much she prided herself on maintaining her emotional equilibrium.

"What right do you have to accuse me of being dangerous, to this team or anyone else? I made a mistake with Mumbo, I admit that, but no more of one than anyone else on this team. Need I remind you of Starfire abandoning us during her 'evolution', or Cyborg and his ill-fated high-speed processor, or the monster Beast Boy became? How about you, _Richard?"_ She lifted herself on her toes so that they were at eye level. "You likely are guilty of more lapses in judgement than any one of us, after all. Giving Johnny Rancid the power to manipulate reality when you broke Larry's magic finger, building the X suit specifically to defeat all of us — which you refused to destroy and later lost, by the way — leaving the team due to your own ego when you sought out that True Master of yours, becoming Slade's apprentice —"

"None of which come close to summoning Trigon to bring about the end of the world!"

She barely held in her gasp of shock, and then anger rolled in like the dark clouds of a storm. _How __**dare**__ he! Trigon's appearance was nothing I could control, and yet he lumps me in with the the Church of Blood? At least I know where I stand with them now. After all these years of fighting and bleeding together, they see me not as a friend, not as a comrade, not even as a helpful ally, but as a threat. They are no better than Zatanna!_

"I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Robin, and assume that your words just now are the result of this morning's sudden rush of adrenaline and my subsequent absence _addling your senses_. After all," she forced out a bitter chuckle, disturbing her 'friends', "you are not so _foolish_ as to antagonize me on this subject. To hold Tools of Fate responsible for their actions in regard to destiny is not only absurd, it is a most grievous insult. One that, over the course of history, has led to many duels… to the death."

She turned sharply on her heel, prepared to walk away from this pointless confrontation. If they saw her only as the Gem of Scath, then she cared not one iota about their opinions. She had ignored the mutterings of the Monks who desired her imprisonment when she was a child, she ignored the mindless bleating the sheep of Jump City made about her, and she would ignore the traitorous fear that now colored her former friends' thoughts of her.

A hand grabbed her shoulder, and that was the limit of her patience. Her soulself welling up faster than it ever had before, she coated her assailant's body with it and threw him across the room, a thud and a sharp groan informing her that the Titan's leader was not going to rise for several moments. Fear and anger bloomed behind her, and she spun, hands encased in spheres of inky blackness as she readied herself for an attack.

"ENOUGH!"

Cyborg's roar caught the other three young adults by surprise. Starfire let the glow of her starbolts diminish and die, which in turn prompted Beast Boy to relax from his crouch, a perfect position to change into the form of any of the big cats he had at his disposal. Raven tasted the shift in emotions in the room and released her tight grip on her powers.

"We have tons of stuff we need to do besides fightin' each other. Star, BB, we're runnin' low on groceries, so you two can fly out to the market and pick some up. Raven, would you please go down to the garage? The T-Car's been makin' some funny noises and I'd appreciate some help fixin' her up. I'm gonna have a quick chat with Spiky first."

Starfire was aghast at the metal man's orders. "But, friend Cyborg, friend Robin —"

"Got what was comin' to him, Star. He hit _way_ below the belt, and his mouth made a check his body couldn't cash. I don't care if he is the leader of this team; if he had talked to me the way he did to Raven, I'd've cleaned his clock, too."

The Tamaranean huffed, but she made her way to the front door, Beast Boy trailing behind like a puppy. Both of them glared as they passed her, which she returned with interest. She did have the presence of mind to keep Rage far enough back that her eyes did not change; she had no interest in resuming their fight at this time. When it was just the two boys with her in the room, she departed, then silently flew back to the door to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Ya wanna tell me what that was all about?"

"I shouldn't need to explain the situation to you, Cy. She's turning into a liability, becoming unstable —"

"If you keep goin' with that sentence, I'll finish what she started." Raven, were she the type of person to cheer, would have raised an incredible ruckus in the hallway at those words. One of the Titans had not abandoned her, after all. "You shouldn't talk like that unless your record is completely spotless, and she reminded us all that it certainly isn't. She knows that she screwed up with Mumbo, but that's no reason to give her the third degree. She protected us and took out the enemy, just like she should have, and I don't have any clue where you got such a sudden dislike for her."

"She crippled him, for _life_, Cyborg, and doesn't show any remorse for it —"

"That's rich comin' from someone trained by a man who casually drops people off rooftops."

"— and she ignored that Beast Boy was already fighting Jinx. She let a grudge overwhelm her responsibility of _'protecting us'_."

"Actually, I think she might have saved his life." There was no response, and she surmised that Robin showed some look of confusion or disbelief, for Cyborg continued. "In the several months I spent in the H.I.V.E., I learned a lot more about them, especially Jinx's crew, than any of the us expected. One thing I found out was if her hexes hit somebody, they can do all sorts of damage. Stoppin' your heart, burstin' an aneurism, causin' a stroke; we'd have had to get BB outa there quick if we wanted to keep him alive. The best way to deal with her is long-range, which is how Raven fights, while BB's power makes him the _worst_ opponent.

"Nah, that's not what started all this. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were scared of her."

Robin's silence spoke volumes.

"No way. After all she's done for us, for you, you're scared of her. If it weren't for her and her healing, all of _us_ would be cripples. She brought you out of your Slade hallucination, which would have killed you. She gave us her powers and kept us from turnin' to stone when Trigon came here."

"Trigon didn't just come here, she _brought_ him here."

"And she sent him back, too, which balances it out. What's really eatin' ya?"

A pregnant pause proceeded the team leader's words. "In the last three months or so, she hasn't been the same. It's like something's eating away at her mind, something that is making her much more destructive and aggressive. The property damage and number of villains needing medical attention from our fights have been increasing, and it started right when she began to hole up in her room alone even more than normal. I _know_ you've noticed how short-tempered she's been lately, lashing out at all of us for little to no reason. Now she's acting like this. Something is seriously wrong with her, and until I know what, I'm going to keep an eye on her to make sure that she doesn't cross a line."

"And if she does?"

"Leave that to me."

Raven teleported down to the garage, desiring to hear no more.

* * *

It took ten minutes for Cyborg to join her, ten minutes that felt like hours as she paced along the room's walls. _Why would it take him so long to come here? Has he been listening to Robin's plan to neutralize me? What does he think of it?_ She noticed a bulge of darkness in one of the corners of the room, one that was beginning to unfurl wings, and sent a wordless plea to Fear. The manifestation retreated.

Finally, the door opened, and the eldest of the Titans entered the garage. "Hey, Rae. You feelin' any better?"

"Not really," she replied, levitating and crossing her legs under her. "Honestly, I was calmer and more centered after our fight in the museum and Jinx's taunting. What has possibly made him think that he can criticize me like that?! Everyone gets a second chance and forgiveness — even Terra, who betrayed us to Slade and helped him take over the city, got a posthumous pardon and a tombstone calling her 'friend' — but I make _one_ mistake, incapacitate a criminal who had already injured the rest of you, and suddenly I am a threat to be evaluated, a monster to be captured."

She huffed, "I am being discriminated against because of my parentage once again. Regardless of the fact that I did not _choose_ to be born half-demon, Trigon being my father apparently means that I am incapable of holding anything but evil in my heart. My time as a hero forgotten, my sacrifices worthless, and my relationships dust at my feet." Unable to maintain her tranquility, she landed once more on the ground and resumed her circuitous path.

As she walked past the man, he reached out and pulled her into a tight hug. "I don't think you're a threat or a monster, Rae. I'm worried about you losin' your temper again, though. When it's just Mumbo that gets taken out, it's not a problem, but you'd blame yourself if you accidentally went overboard again and a spectator or a victim was the one harmed. I don't want you to have to deal with that."

"Cyborg, I did not _'go overboard'_ with Mumbo. I dispelled the cannons he was firing at us without recognizing that they still shared a magical connection with the wand and gloves. Their destruction created a backlash that destabilized and deconstructed the gloves, which perpetuated the impulse into the wand. It could not hold the influx of magic and exploded. I should have recognized the possibility of that outcome, but without an analysis of the wand I had few options at the time, and so I acted on what information I possessed."

The robotic man looked down at her in shock. "So _that's_ what happened; we all thought you intentionally destroyed his hand to snap his wand. If you had told us what you just told me, a lot of this could've been avoided."

"I _sincerely_ apologize for believing that, as my friends, you would not immediately assume the worst of me. I shall endeavor to be properly cynical from this point forwards."

He winced at her harsh rejoinder. "Alright, I get it; we screwed up, too. We should have asked what happened rather than go off half-cocked. I'll tell the others, and everything should die back down."

"I doubt it," she scoffed, "especially since Robin is too stubborn to acknowledge his own mistakes in these circumstances. Starfire will support him because of their relationship, no matter that he is in the wrong, and Beast Boy will allow his temper to rule him and ignore any explanation I give, especially since it involves magic. Perhaps… perhaps it is time I leave the Tower to seek out other opportunities."

"No!" He pushed her back to arms length and stared into her eyes. "Raven, you don't have to go. This'll blow over, just like things always do. Just give them a chance to see that you're no different now than you were before. Can you do that for me?"

She sighed. "Very well. I will attempt to ignore what happened today, provided there is not another occurrence."

"That's all I'm askin'," he replied with a smile. He gave her a clap on the shoulder and exited the garage.

_He and Robin both know that I am preoccupied with something, and yet once again, they do not ask what it is that consumes so much of my attention_, she despaired._ How sad is my life, when only my enemies care for my wellbeing?_

* * *

**In regard to Robin's and Raven's positions on fate. Robin has the modern (primarily American?) view that the future is not set in stone and can be changed with enough willpower and fortitude, while Raven has the same mindset as the ancient world. It doesn't matter what you do, what is prophesied _will_ come to pass, and if you try to circumvent destiny, it will end up that your own actions were ultimately to blame.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	11. Pieces of a Puzzle

**Spikesagitta:** After that, "going back to normal" is an impossibility.

**whitetigerwolf:** Raven knows that Cyborg's there for her; he's pretty much the only one she still considers a friend.

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** She's thinking about leaving, obviously. The problem is that the Tower and working with the Titans are just about all she knows. Robin brought up Trigon because we see in canon that he's completely unreasonable whenever Slade is mentioned.

**SepticMind:** Mine, too. Yes, all we have is Raven's thoughts; I was worried that people have forgotten that! Recall in "The Prophecy" that Starfire says about Trigon, _"his cruelty is legendary, even on my world"_. Since we have no indication that there's a Cult of Skath on Tamaran, I can only assume that her people have some knowledge (and obviously nothing good) about demons. She was likely raised hearing that demons are destructive and cruel, and that colors her perspective.

**Chris Shadowmoon:** She does get the shaft; the other Titans don't even know her birthday until season 4, for crying out loud! You have the other Titans' reasons down, but read the reply to SepticMind for some more insight on Starfire in particular. She doesn't consider Jinx an enemy, no, but she was making a point. She'll be keeping the communicator close by for the most part. I don't know much about Tim Drake, so I'll have to take your word on it.

**Concolor44:** She didn't say she was being discriminated against just for kicks! She'll join the H.I.V.E., _kinda_. I will say that all Cyborg did was delay her departure, and that one of _your stories_ inspired the outcome.

**Zaan299:** I hate to burst your bubble, but this story will not end well as far as the Titan's roster is concerned. The _good_ news is that my muse has finally decided how she wants the story to progress, and this story will simply be part 1. Whether or not they can all reconcile in part 2 is totally unknown.

**Celestia GF of the Void:** You're going to make me spend my time looking for you, aren't you? : ) Robin's attitude, particularly his superiority complex, is going to bite him in the ass soon enough, and in a way I've never seen in any other fic. Will Raven use tentacles on Jinx? I don't really know, to be quite honest, but you've made my muse chuckle evilly. Thanks_ so much_ for that.

**deathgeonous, dualitys-end, Jellyfish, jtdarkman, nada129, TUYET PHAM, VizeerLord:** Thanks for the review.

**I've had a couple of people ask about why Robin and Cyborg don't just question Raven to find out what's bothering her, and since it ties into the main plot, I figured I'd explain here. The reason is the same for why they don't know about Azarath or the Ascension: Raven assumes the other Titans will ask if they want to know because that's what they do with Starfire about Tamaran, while the rest of the team figures Raven, being the private person she is, will tell them when she wants to talk about it. The non-romance part of the plot is about this error, this _misunderstanding_, snowballing out of control.**

**Disclaimer:** Did Cyborg leave the team twice? If so, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 11  
****Pieces of a Puzzle**

To say that the next ten days in the Titan's Tower were stressful would be an incredible understatement. True to Raven's prediction, there was an obvious schism between the team's three pacifists and the two realists. Conversations were short and pointed, glares were thrown across rooms, and snide comments became the norm. This environment would be stifling for anyone, but to Raven it was like being trapped in a smoke-filled room. The animosity was nearly tangible, and nothing she ate or drank, even her herbal tea, was able to wash the taste of salt out of her mouth.

She knew that Starfire's and Beast Boy's anger was due to her aggression against Robin; she refused to apologize to him, however. To treat _her_ as an enemy after creating strategies and weapons solely for the purpose of subduing the other Titans was unconscionable. The Tamaranean and the shapeshifter could not recognize that his actions were the complete opposite of his words, but that did not make it her responsibility to inform them of it.

Considering their backgrounds, that they were so adamant in their stand against the use of extreme force was incomprehensible to her, and this only complicated the situation. Starfire came from a warrior culture, so one would expect that she was comfortable, or at least familiar, with the concept of permanently incapacitating her foes. The Doom Patrol, the group that had provided for and had trained Beast Boy, was infamous for how they treated villains; many a criminal had surrendered the moment they noticed who had been called in to deal with the situation.

Robin, of course, had no basis for his condemnation. Gotham City was widely known as the most violent city in the country, and part of that reputation could be laid squarely at the feet of the Caped Crusader. Robin may have left his master and adoptive father behind him, but that same philosophy of 'justice' had dogged his steps as he journeyed west. From her brief introduction to the man upon her arrival in this dimension, she knew that Batman trusted and followed no one, and Robin, for all that he publicly rejected his mentor's methods, was cast from the same mold.

Perhaps that was the reason for Robin's recent treatment of Cyborg. The ebony-haired teen had been exceedingly clear from the birth of the Titans that he considered them to be _his_ team, and he would not tolerate anyone usurping his authority. He had briefly ejected the mechanical man for doing just that, and though Cyborg did return, the wounds their words had left apparently never healed completely. The two males had needed several weeks to regain a comfortable working environment after Cyborg's short stint leading the Titans East, as well. Now, with Cyborg indicating to Robin that he was overstepping his bounds, a certain degree of tension was expected.

No, what was surprising was that Cyborg had sided with her in the first place. Unlike their other teammates, he had no previous experience fighting, except possibly in backyard brawls; had that left his ability to empathize intact? He was the only one who still saw the world in shades of gray, who believed that a criminal's motivations were just as important as her actions, who acknowledged that a greedy man stealing gold from a bank was different than a hungry boy stealing bread from a store. Whatever the reason, he did not reject her, and for that she was grateful.

A bullet ricocheting off her barrier recalled her attention to the battle below. In an unusual turn of events, Johnny Rancid had allied himself with the couch potato known only as Control Freak, and they were tearing their way down Roosevelt Street in the heart of Jump's central-most residential area. She could not understand what their motivation was, for they were not looting the houses they demolished; if she did not know the two villains as well as she did, she would restrain them to test for demonic influence due to their new lust for destruction.

Cyborg's sonic cannon shattered an animated bookcase, but the need to dodge one of Rancid's three 'junkyard dogs' forced him to abandon aiming at Control Freak. Each robotic canine was approximately fifteen feet tall at the shoulder, and their mouths were large enough to be able to rip a normal human's torso off at the waist. Needless to say, Robin was therefore engaging another of them in staff-to-paw combat. Starfire was harassing the third, while Beast Boy was fighting his way through magazines soaring like birds and sofas rushing him as if they were bulls.

Another flight of _Better Homes and Gardens_ dove at her, and she reformed her soulself into a multitude of piercing spikes to rip through the flock of glossy pages. _We should have captured these two by now,_ she thought. _When they are defeated, I have a number of questions for them, including how in Azar's name they managed to escape prison in the first place. Rancid may be a prodigy in engineering, but I doubt Jump City Penitentiary's workshop has the resources he would need to break out. Control Freak, on the other hand, is extremely similar to Mumbo: he relies on his little remote to do everything for him. As with Rancid, he would need assistance from outside the prison; there is no other way he would have made it as far as the exercise yard._

Her thought process halted in its tracks, and she was too preoccupied by her epiphany to notice Rage taking control of her soulself and producing another shield, nor Impudence using her magic to reinforce it. _They had help. Someone gave them the materials they needed to build the robots and the remote, and that same person or group likely ordered them to fight together. And __**that**__ is how Mumbo received his new wand! Why, though? There are many other enemies we could be forced to fight, ones who could put up a more effective attack._ She winced in sympathy as the giant dog batted Cyborg into the living room of a nearby house via a brand-new hole through a brick wall. _Then again, we should be thankful for small favors._

_Wisdom, do you have any ideas?_

The manifestation of curiosity was quick to respond. _"I am afraid I do not. There are no patent indications of these two enemies' patron. If you would provide me with a sample of their technology, it may be possible for me to discern something more."_

_And just how am I supposed to _'provide you with a sample'_?_ Raven's eyes widened as the voice in her head whispered to her. _I can do that?_ She collapsed the round shield protecting her from Rancid's pistol and directed a black stream of aether into the ground. It swirled like steam as it flowed along the asphalt to its target, and then it slithered up the legs of the machine that had been tangling with Cyborg. A shift in its composition changed it from grasping vapor into a rippling pool of… something else, something she had never seen before. The rusted robot did not so much sink into the liquid-like structure as plummet like a brick falling through the sky. Raven caught a brief glimpse of the floating cliffs of Nevermore before the portal collapsed in on itself.

"You killed my dog!" Rancid shouted. He pointed the gun in his hand at her, and it was only Cyborg's right cross that prevented her from being perforated.

"Thanks, Rae!" A click and buzz reminded them that there were two foes to face; the remaining automatons, which had become quiescent upon their creator falling unconscious, rose from their haunches and resumed their attacks. "Uh, can ya take care of the rest of these puppies?"

She nodded and, directing her soulself, pulled both of the machines into her mind to rejoin the first. Seeing that his partner was defeated, Control Freak dropped the remote as if it had burned him and raised his hands to the sky. "I'll go quietly, just don't let her near me!"

That stung, and as if to rub salt in her wound, Robin kept an eye on her as he pulled a set of handcuffs out of his bottomless utility belt and restrained the criminal's arms behind his back. Once his task was finished, he said, "Raven, you can return to base. We'll handle turning him over to the police."

Hearing the demand behind the placid words, she turned to Cyborg in direct affront to Robin's authority as the leader of the Titans. Cyborg glanced between the two former friends in worry. "Maybe it's best if you head on back, Rae. 'Sides, if your complainin' for two days was any sign, you'll like not havin' to write up a report for the cops."

Raven sighed; it appeared that her cybernetic companion was not going to buck the ninja's authority today. Wrapping herself in soulself, she teleported to the Tower. Upon her arrival, she checked their answering machine out of habit for any urgent messages and was relieved to find it empty. She took in the silence of their home, much less oppressive now that she was the only occupant.

_What shall I do with my time?_ Her fingers reached of their own accord to the hidden pouch of her leotard; it was sown into the fabric at the base of her spine, and while it was small, there was enough space for concealing one or two items. She withdrew her hand, the yellow hexagon of the H.I.V.E. communicator Jinx had given to her secure in her palm. _Should I call her? Admittedly, I did promise to stay in contact, and she made it clear that she enjoys my company. If the police department stays true to form, the rest of the Titans will be out for several hours, which should be plenty of time for me to get back. If need be, I teleport to my room and tell them I was deep in meditation._

Her fingers shook as they flipped up the lid of the device and pressed the red power button. What she presumed was a touch screen flickered as it powered up before offering the main menu.

_Contacts  
__Synchronize  
__Options  
__Beacon  
__Detonate_

She stared in astonishment at the last option, very glad that none of the H.I.V.E. students had ever felt the need to commit to a suicidal last strike. A bolt of pain radiated from where her heart was located at the thought of the pinkette closing her eyes for the final time as a slim finger tapped the screen. Shaking the image out of her mind, she examined the machine again and noticed that only the first and third choices were active.

Raven knew she was simply stalling, but she decided to explore the options menu. _Contrast, update schedule, screen size, enable video…_ There was nothing there that was terribly different from the Titan's own communicator, which caused her to wonder if Gizmo had hung on to a few pieces of technology from the single time the trio had defeated them. She returned to the first screen and pressed _'Contacts'_. Just as the thief had told her, only one name was listed, so she selected the label and waited for the signal to connect.

A minute passed, worrying the heroine, but finally the display changed to signify an audio-only conversation. _"Hello?"_ Jinx answered in a whisper.

"Jinx, Raven calling. Do you have a moment?"

"_Uh, not that I mind you finally getting around to talk to me,"_ the slight screech of steel against steel came across the line, and she panted before she continued, _"but your sense of timing really needs some work. Any chance I can call you back?"_

Raven glared at the screen. "Are you on a heist?"

Silence.

"Jinx…"

"_No?"_

She groaned at her terrible luck, and then again at the unintentional pun. "At least give me the cold comfort that you are somewhere, anywhere, other than Jump."

"_Don't worry your pretty little head off. I'm over in San Carlos on a commission job. Is it dangerous right now in Jump, or maybe you just wanted to be the only Titan who can cuff me?"_ Jinx giggled at the end, prompting a frown of confusion on Raven's face. Robin was the only member of the team to use manual restraints; surely the thief knew that after all these years. Not to mention, she truly did not wish to arrest her. _"Anyway, I'm gonna need another day or so to move the stuff to him, so I can give you a ring when I'm back in town if that's okay."_

"Very well." She hesitated, then added, "Keep yourself safe; I would prefer not needing to heal you upon your arrival."

"_Ah, that's so sweet! I'll be home soon, so maybe you can give me a 'personal' examination then. Ta ta!"_

* * *

It took not one day but four for Jinx to finally return her call. Raven had neglected to carry the H.I.V.E. device, so it was only due to a fortuitous afterthought that she returned to her room and noticed the indicator light flashing. A written message greeted her when she opened it.

_A few complications popped up sorry :-( Meet at Trinian's downtown 11? Civvies if you got them_

She glared at the screen, hard-pressed not to track the thief down and give her a refresher course in proper communication; there would be time enough later for her to ensure that Jinx would cease her butchering of the English language. She checked the clock on her _official_ communicator and saw that she had only half an hour before the time Jinx had suggested. She would need to change her clothes immediately and teleport. Thankfully, she knew the destination in question, as it was the same club that Blackfire had dragged the entire team to the first time she had been on Earth.

She opened her closet and took note of the number of duplicate cloaks and leotards it contained. Without a social life, she had had no need of civilian wear, so she gave Starfire silent thanks while lifting a large cardboard box from the floor. Every time the alien had convinced her to go to the mall — that is, interrupted her meditation incessantly until she agreed simply to preserve her sanity — she would not be allowed to depart until she had purchased at least one garment. This meant that she had a moderate selection to choose from, and she had never been so glad that her body was little different at eighteen than it had been at fourteen.

A hurried glance at the container's contents reminded her why shopping blind was a terrible idea, however. Because she needed only to buy one item, she often grabbed the least offensive article within arm's reach without care of if it would be suitable to wear with anything else. She pulled out a pair of ballet slippers, a short necktie, and a set of pink and purple striped socks, only to toss them into the trash bin by the door. _I could pretend that I have nothing besides my uniform_, she thought before rejecting the idea. While it would make her night less irritating, it would also be incredibly rude and pointless to do so when she truly wanted this friendship to develop. She emptied the entire box onto her bed and spread the clothing out.

_No, no, certainly not, possibly, um… was I intoxicated when I found this?_ She balled up the red silk chemise and threw it over to join the other articles she would dispose of, then rummaged through her options before picking up the outfit she felt would be least out of place. A few minutes to change, as well as find undergarments appropriate for her choice, and she assessed the ensemble in the mirror above her vanity.

The tight black denim jeans were the most sensible component. Above that was a pale blue, off the shoulder blouse that left her arms bare, much to her discomfort. She did not recall ever seeing the short leather jacket before, but the sleeves were appreciated. The nights recently had been somewhat cooler than normal for late September, so its presence would not be unusual. Gray ankle-high boots with low, wide heels replaced her customary blue shoes, but they were similar enough that she would not encounter excess difficulty walking.

_I look ridiculous_. She cast a withering glance at the few remaining clothes laying on her bed. _Surely there is something else I could wear, something less… this._ She checked her communicator to determine how much longer she would have to agonize over her appearance, only to see that she was already ten minutes late. With a soft curse, she teleported into the women's restroom inside the club. Thankfully, there was no one there to notice her entrance.

The dance floor was filled with bodies, and there were enough women present who had died their hair pink that it was impossible to find the one who did not need artificial coloration. Giving up on the idea of searching for the thief, she made her way to the bar and tapped the wood paneling until the bulky bartender approached.

"Wa'tcha wan'?" he asked roughly.

"Long Island Iced Tea." She vaguely remembered hearing about that drink, and it would be familiar if nothing else. The man was incredibly slow; there were several people also ordering drinks, but that was no reason for it to take more than a minute to pour a glass of tea. He finally returned with her order, and she took a grateful mouthful only to spit it back out.

An extremely loud but familiar laugh came from behind her. "I've never seen anyone dislike a drink _that_ much."

"It is not my fault that the bartender cannot even make a glass of tea," she said as she turned to the slightly swaying pinkette. She was unsure what the man had done, but she knew what tea tasted like, and this was _very_ wrong.

"Tea? The only thing you can get here…" Jinx may have bitten her lower lip to withhold her laughter, but her buttery amusement still reached the Titan. "That's called 'tea' because of its color, not what's in it. Here, I know what you'll like. Hey, Joey!" she called out. "A mudslide and a mojito!"

"I hope it is better than this," Raven grumbled, putting the full glass back on the bar. Jinx was apparently a regular, for the drinks arrived almost immediately. She cautiously sipped the mixture that had leaves floating in it. "At least it is palatable."

The thief smiled at her misfortune while running a, dare she say, _hungry_ gaze over her appearance. "Common rookie mistake. So, did you have anything special in mind you wanted to meet me for, or were you just starved for my affection?"

"Yes, because surely all my ills can be cured by your 'affection'." Raven snarked back. "You were the one who wanted me to _'keep in touch'_, if I remember correctly."

"Well, yeah, but I half expected you to never give me a call. I figured I'd need to pull another lift just to remind you about it." A change in the noise from the stage caught her attention. "Ooh, I like this song. Come on!" And with nary a request, she grabbed the hero and dragged her to the dance floor.

_Just my luck that alcohol has no effect on demons_, Raven thought as she was unwillingly forced into the crushing sea of humanity, _because I could certainly use it right now._

* * *

**Inspiration for this chapter and the next comes from SepticMind's story _Clandestine_. I know someone who made the same mistake as Raven, and let me say, he was _not_ a happy camper when he found out that there is no tea in that drink. A mudslide is a sweet cocktail of vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and sometimes chocolate syrup or creme de cacao; it's not bad, actually.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	12. Not So Different

**Ranmyaku Kiritsu:** Raven can't get drunk, but she has something else happen to her.

**Celestia GF of the Void:** I'm glad that first part made sense; I reread it before I posted and thought it was a bit rambling, myself. He he he, the fight you're looking towards will be either the next or the one after that, depending on how one particular chapter goes, and it's going to be a doozy. *SPOILER* Raven does _not_ like anyone causing problems during her Ascension. *END SPOILER*

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** Long Island Iced Tea is a mixture of vodka, gin, tequila, rum, triple sec, and cola. As Jinx said, it just _looks_ like tea. If you squint at it. From a distance. While wearing sunglasses. Raven doesn't like shopping for clothes, and never intended to wear anything she bought.

**SepticMind:** What's cruel is where I ended _this_ chapter. Yes, Raven was so frazzled that she didn't even think about paying to enter the club. Stealing from the museum, letting Jinx go, sneaking into bars; our little bird is breaking laws left and right nowadays!

**nada129:** Wait and see, that's all I can say.

**Spikesagitta:** Nope, this person isn't setting Raven up. Interesting fact: she's interrupted quite a few plans accidentally.

**Concolor44:** That sounds pretty good, actually. She can be excused for missing Rage's help this time, though. The "doggies" will show up again in part 2, so no, they aren't part of Rage's plot. Which story inspired this? _Transition_, of course, though it was a bit of a throwaway comment on your part.

**jtdarkman:** She'll figure it out next chapter, though she needs a bit of a push. And boy does Jinx provide that push!

**TUYET PHAM:** You're welcome! If there's one thing we can say about Raven, it's that she's hard to catch off-guard.

**Taeniaea:** First, I'm very confused over how in the world to pronounce your pen-name. Second, thank you very much for the compliment.

**discb:** I'm happy to deliver!

**It's that sad time, my friends. This is the last pre-written chapter of _Coincidence and Misunderstandings_, so there will be a bit of a lag as I try to balance publishing all three of my stories. I'm hoping — _hoping_ — to get one chapter done a week, but doing well in my classes comes first.**

**There is a scene here that is probably going to offend some people. I need it for the next chapter, and it just refused to be written any other way. It's small, though, so that's good.**

**Disclaimer:** Robin and Starfire got to kiss, Cyborg was obviously crushing on Bumble Bee, but did Raven have a special someone? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 12  
****Not So Different**

Raven left the club two hours after she arrived, Jinx lightly gripping one arm. The metahuman said that she had danced most of the alcohol out of her system, but she was still slightly out-of-sorts, hence Raven allowing the physical contact in the first place. Having to escort an intoxicated individual to their domicile was one of the myriad of reasons she avoided bars like Beast Boy did Animal Control.

"_And yet you liked it,"_ Joy whispered to her. _"Cutting loose, moving to the beat, grinding up against her—"_

_Which I did only because you and Love exploited a moment of inattention on my part and possessed me!_ Raven was incensed at the audacity of her emotions. Those two had control of her body for almost twenty minutes, during which the thief had been quite upset if the amount of alcohol that was drunk was any indication. She had been well on her way to gaining a second real friend, and now she had lost the chance because two of her emotions did not understand the concept of 'personal space'.

What was worse, in Raven's mind, was that she had been lax in her mental vigilance; Rage may have been the only emotion to use her like that before now, but all seven of them had the capacity. Tonight's fiasco distressed her even more than fighting the Brotherhood of Evil had, and she was regretting how much free reign she allowed her mental tenants. Perhaps, for everyone's safety, she should chain them all up like she used to do with Rage. There was an swelling of outrage among the five emotions who had not betrayed her, but Impudence's _"Don't lump me in with those fuckers!"_ summed up the general sentiment nicely.

"_Okay, okay, we shouldn't have done that, but you had fun, didn't you? And we both know you would've slunk away and hidden in a corner if we hadn't done something drastic."_

Jinx's voice prevented her from responding to Joy. "Now that we're liquored up, what do you wanna do?"

"You… wish to continue in my company?" Everything she had seen indicated that Jinx was offended by her behavior, so why would the woman desire to spend more time with her?

"Well, yeah. You can act like a stick in the mud in public all you want, but I know that you're fun to hang out with when you're away from the others. I don't give my number to just _anyone_, after all."

"_Ha! And you were yelling at me when I helped you out."_

"So, do you wanna do something?" Jinx repeated.

Raven forced silence in her mind to focus on what the H.I.V.E. graduate was saying. "Most businesses are closed at this time, Jinx. I am unsure what you are expecting me to suggest."

"You're right, and Trinian's is the only club that'll let me in." The thief snapped her fingers. "I've got drinks at my place."

"If I remember correctly, you did not want me to see your base the previous times we have interacted. I believe the alcohol is making you act out of character." Besides, if she did not know where Jinx and her team stayed, she would have plausible deniability in case Cyborg found out about her excursions and asked. Informing Robin never even crossed her mind.

"Nah, being a meta lets me burn it out pretty quickly; I'm not even all that buzzed anymore. And I'm not taking you to the base, anyway. I have a small apartment for when I just can't deal with the boys and need to have my own space for a while."

Raven sighed. "And where is this apartment?"

"It's just a few blocks away. C'mon, I'll show you!"

* * *

Wide eyes stared at Raven as she walked out of a bar. This was _Raven_, for crying out loud, she _never_ went to bars. And she had a chick with her! Well, at least it made sense why she was such a cold fish around him all the time if that's what got her motor running.

Then he got a good look at the girl draped on his teammate's arm. He didn't know what was making Raven spend her time with Jinx, but it was a problem. She was lashing out at the team, hurting people, all because she was dating a criminal now, even if Jinx was kinda hot. The Titans were more important than her love life; besides, that Argent bird was a lezzy, too, and if Raven was slutting around with _her_, she wouldn't be betraying _them_.

The watcher turned away from the scene in front of him to return to the Tower. Raven was about to have a shitstorm shipped by express mail, and he was going to love being the messenger. This was way more important than finishing a dumb patrol, anyway.

* * *

Jinx rattled the key in the lock for a third time before she got all the tumblers in line. Raven wanted to assist her, for the metahuman's metabolism had not finished processing the alcohol she had consumed, but knew that any offers would likely be taken poorly; she understood pride, and Jinx had that quality in excess. With a swift twist of the knob, the door was open, and she was motioned inside.

It was obvious that the apartment was meant for a single occupant. The door opened into a small living room, a loveseat on the right side facing a flat television mounted on the off-white wall opposite, with a low coffee table in between the two. An open doorway was next to the screen, leading to a kitchenette if the electric range she could barely make out was any indication. Another opening at the back of the room presumably was where the bedroom and bathroom were located.

A second glance verified what Jinx had told her about living here for short periods. There was a layer of dust on the thinly carpeted floors, especially thick in the corners. She saw no photographs or artwork on the walls, and aside from the dust, everything was simply arranged too neatly; it resembled a showroom display rather than a home. She tried to reach out with her empathy to search for emotive spoor, but received nothing. After she had finished the cocktail Jinx had given her, she noticed that all the emotions she detected, even the faint traces she normally ignored, were fading away. The effect was limited to that talent, but she was astonished by how much she depended on her empathy now that it was no longer available to her.

"I know it isn't much," Jinx said, "but it's not so bad to crash at. And apparently to bring a Titan over to."

Raven nodded. "It is private, at least. I am surprised that you do not spend more time here. If I had the option, I would likely do so."

"I don't mind hanging around the base. Maybe if Baran and Gizmo were more annoying I'd stay away, but we get along pretty well. Do you want something to drink? I don't think I have any tea, unfortunately."

"Water will be fine." The thief stepped into the kitchen, while the Titan, acting on a sudden hunch, exuded some of her soulself from her hand. Visualizing what she wanted, she brushed the dark tendrils over the surface of the couch and collected the dust and grime that had accumulated between the cushions, against the back, and on the floor underneath. She pooled the dust into a large clump and teleported it to the waters of Jump Harbor. Satisfied that the furniture was now clean, she sank into it and reveled in her success. She had never used her soulself other than to move objects, form shields, and cut through the occasional tank, but Wisdom's instructions on how to transport Rancid's mechanical dogs had caused her to wonder how else she could alter the properties of the astral distortions.

_Speaking of Rancid, have you come up with anything?_

Wisdom answered immediately. _"I am afraid not. The books on robotics and electrical engineering you read several years ago in an attempt to redesign Cyborg's prosthetics have helped, but these devices are far more complex than we understand. I __**will**__ say that I have yet to find distinguishing marks on any of the more unusual components that will lead to a specific manufacturer, nor any indications that magic, human or demonic, was used in their construction."_

_Very well, keep investigating._ Returning her conscious to the outside world, she noticed Jinx returning with two glasses, one of which was full, and a large, half-empty bottle.

The pinkette dropped down heavily beside her and handed her the cup of water. "I'm not sure how many different drinks you want to try tonight, but I've got tequila if you're interested." She shook her head, leaving Jinx to pour herself a glass of her poison of choice. "So, is my apartment really bad or do you just dislike my company this late at night?"

"I do not understand. Why would you assume that either of those are true?"

"It's my conscience that's rotten, not my sight." Jinx turned to her and stared into her eyes, as if she would be able to read her soul with enough time and focus. "You said you need to meditate to keep your stress low. You were fine when we left the club, so I'm wondering how I fucked up this time."

Raven sighed and hesitantly rested her hand on the thief's arm. "Tonight _has_ been fun, Jinx. I was using the opportunity to reflect on a current case, and no, it does not concern you, your team, or the H.I.V.E. as far as I can perceive. I was actually surprised that you even invited me here, considering how I… molested you in Trinian's."

"Molested? Nah, we were just dancing; trust me, you didn't do anything to me I didn't want you to." A sly grin spread onto Jinx's face. "Actually, I wouldn't mind doing it again in a more _private_ spot."

Resolving to locate a smaller venue that had not banned Jinx from entering in case they wished to repeat the experience, she nodded her assent. "Very well, we have nothing to apologize for." She realized that she was still gripping the criminal and quickly pulled her hand back, her face flushed with shame; had she not recently criticized Love and Joy for ignoring personal boundaries?

Jinx's smirk widened. "You know, I've heard booze is great for letting you move past embarrassment. Sure you don't want some?"

"It would be unhelpful. My physiology is quite similar to yours, but there are some differences, one of which is that it does not process alcohol. I have an equal chance of becoming intoxicated from my tea as I do from your liquor."

"You've gotta be shitting me," the thief said in disbelief. "You mean Azarathians don't sometimes rely on liquid courage? No babies born from drunken one-night stands?"

Raven closed her eyes to avoid looking at the metahuman. Allowing misconceptions to stand unopposed was one thing, but she did not want to actively deceive the woman who was rapidly becoming her closest companion outside of Cyborg. "Azarathians are fully capable of those things. _I_ am not." She cracked one eyelid open and saw bemusement written on Jinx's face. "It is part of the reason I was banished."

"You were banished just because you were _different?"_

"No, it is what makes me different that caused it. My _father_," she spat, "was not a native of Azarath, nor of this dimension. One of the primary functions of the Order of Azar was to prevent any of His race from escaping their world, so when they discovered that I was developing in my mother's womb, they debated terminating the pregnancy, which was normally an unforgivable crime. Though they permitted my birth, I was never accepted fully into society."

"That's awful. I'm surprised your mom wasn't punished as well."

"She would have been, but her affair with my father was… non-consensual. I never saw much of Arella growing up; she could not bear to look at me." Her voice was bitter, but understandably so. Jinx reached out and gripped her hands, and she gave a wan smile even as the appendages twitched. "I was mostly raised by a woman named Galya, who felt that all children deserved love, even unstable, half-breed monsters."

She was unprepared to be pulled into a tight embrace, her cheek against the firm swell of the pinkette's bosom. "Don't call yourself that! Just because your father was a bastard doesn't mean you're responsible for what he did, no matter what anyone told you!"

Jinx's arms were extremely comfortable, so much so that Raven decided to complete her tale from where she was. "I came to terms with how I was perceived long ago. This is not the entire story, however."

"There's more?"

"Indeed. Approximately four months before my fourteenth birthday, Azar the Third delivered a prophecy, one that whipped the Order into a frenzy. It stated that my presence would lure my father from His native dimension, and that His arrival would herald the end of the world. Hoping that removing me from Azarath would spare them, they proceeded to exile me here."

"End of the world? You may be powerful, but I doubt you, or your father, could destroy an entire dimension. They took advantage of you because they hate your father's people, just like a lot of regular humans hate people like me," the metahuman scoffed.

"To be fair, Azarath was minuscule for an independent universe; the entire space was taken up by a city only thrice the size of Jump. And the Order's fears were well founded. From information I have gathered since then, my father arrived with His armies a week after I left and razed it to oblivion."

"Oh, Raven… I'm so sorry. I hate to ask, but have you ever met him yourself, gotten his side of the story?"

She nodded, her face still against Jinx's breast, which prompted an interesting sensation in her lower abdomen. "Once, when He attempted to do the same thing to Earth just because He could. I was forced to kill Him, with the same powers His heritage gave me."

The thief's chest hitched, then she slowly said, "I killed my parents, too. I always looked different, but my hex powers didn't awaken until I was five. I had just had a nightmare, and all over my room in our apartment were these pink sparks. They were kinda cute, and I just kept making more and more of them. Soon there were too many for me to hold onto, and the whole building just collapsed. My parents, my brother, two sisters, all four of my grandparents, and my uncle and his six kids all lived there. I was the only survivor."

Raven reciprocated Jinx's earlier actions and drew the woman into a… hug. "You do realize that you are not to blame for those events, correct? I have not heard of a single metahuman who is instantly capable of controlling their powers. You had no way to know that your hex energy was dangerous, and no normal five-year-old would be cautious with what they think is a new toy."

"Yeah, because being a murderer as a little kid is _normal_."

After a moment of hesitation, she revealed another painful memory. "I told you that my powers were dangerous before I was separated from my emotions. The monks were considering putting me through the procedure after I ripped the legs off a pair of men who assaulted me, but what tipped the scales was what occurred one day at school."

"What happened?" the thief asked, wiping her sleeve across her face.

"There was a boy there, one whose family especially hated my kind. He bullied me constantly. One day, he went too far, and my soulself wrapped him up and started squeezing. By the time I called it back, Trefin was nothing more than a puddle on the playground.

"So, as you can see, I understand your position quite well."

Jinx's pink eyes were soft as they looked into Raven's purple. "What I see is that we're both fucked up." Then she moved in and kissed the Titan.

It was unlike anything Raven had expected. For one, when she had decided to research the romantic customs of Earth, she had concentrated on the traditional relationship between men and women. For two, she had long accepted that she would never be in this position, even if she desired it. And for three… it was extremely different to think clearly with all the signals her body was relaying.

The lips on hers were soft, so soft, and her empathy must have returned, for she tasted the strawberries of lust mixing with salt from the woman's tears and something indescribable that was essentially Jinx. Electricity was firing along her nerves from everywhere she felt their bodies touching, causing her entire frame to tingle. Heat was building in her core, and she knew that if the thief moved her hands a single inch lower, she would be unable to control herself.

Thankfully, or perhaps not so thankfully, the woman pulled away. They merely stared at each other, not willing to be the one to break whatever spell they were under. Finally, Raven slid off the couch. "I need to go," she whispered, cold doubt flooding her body and supplanting the warmth from the kiss. "If my team finds that I have left, they will make my life far more complicated."

"Okay," the feline metahuman replied, her voice equally low and filled with regret.

Darkness slowly rose from the sorceress's feet, hiding her form as if it were a curtain moving in reverse. Only when her head was all that was visible did she speak again. "I… I will call in a few days." With her words floating in the air, the black void covered her completely and vanished.

"Damn," Jinx said, grabbing her glass and swallowing its contents. She gazed longingly at the slightly emptier bottle, said "Fuck it," and drained it dry.

* * *

**DON'T KILL ME! Raven and Jinx _will_ get together, I promise. Right now, Raven's overanalyzing everything and letting self-doubt get in the way.**

**One guess on who spotted them leaving the club; I doubt you need more than that. Next chapter will be the confrontation.**

**I know Raven's story is sad, but it's time she exorcised some of her metaphorical demons. She has not had a good life.**

**Silently Watches out (from my bunker. Funnily enough, this is the second time I've hidden in here).**


	13. Truth and Memories

**MaddiMastermind:** Yep, that was the guy in question.

**disb:** Your PM cleared up my confusion over your review. Yeah, when Robin finds out, he will NOT be amused.

**Ranmyaku Kiritsu:** Ha, happens to the best of us. Honestly, I have no clue if there are any review limitations.

**nada129:** I feel sorry for her, too.

**hopelessromantic34:** Thanks! The first time was after chapter 1 of _Princess of the Blacks_. If you're a fan of dark HP stories, check it out, but I'm going to warn you that it takes a running leap into uncomfortable territory.

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** That's how _**I**_ feel about him most of the time! I have little knowledge on the JL, so I doubt they'll ever show up. Batman (and just Batman) _might_ make an appearance, but that won't be until part 2. The Titans East don't know her well, though with Cyborg dating Bumble Bee, what they _do_ know comes from his perspective.

**Spikesagitta:** I live to make your life difficult! No, Raven's kick in the ass is going to come from someone else.

**Jknight3135:** Last chapter should have made it clear that Raven's hiding more than a few problems; you'll get a better look in a bit.

**SepticMind:** I know, though we should keep Jinx in mind, too. She's the one who got "rejected", after all.

**CrazyReaderBitch:** Thanks very much!

**jtdarkman:** Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. And acid, as I found out a couple of years ago.

**TUYET PHAM:** She may not have exactly rejected Jinx, but leaving immediately might have given that impression. The confrontation… read the note below.

**hydroknight01:** Has Beast Boy ever struck you as someone who thinks before he does something stupid? Rage, believe it or not, won't be who deals with him, though I don't know that you'd guess who does.

**Concolor44:** The situation will get pretty bad, but not just yet. When Jinx said in chapter 4 that her powers are _"entirely destructive"_, this is what she was thinking about. Raven opened Pandora's Box when it comes to her emotions giving her advice; the one that will is someone we haven't seen a lot of.

**I'm not sure if I should be amused or disappointed that everyone assumes Raven will be raked over the coals and kicked out of the Tower in this chapter. She will… eventually… but not just yet. She needs a bad-luck charm to take her in first :P**

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven have a place to go when she needed time and space to think, one where none of the Titans could intrude on her solitude? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 13  
****Truth and Memories**

The sound of waves crashing against the cliffs provided the perfect counterpoint to the turmoil Raven felt rushing through her mind. There was one question she tried to focus on, one question that chased after its own tail like an ouroboros. _Why did she kiss me?_

However she analyzed, however she hypothesized, however she dissected, she could not find a suitable answer. Were Jinx's actions motivated purely by drunken lust? If so, she understood; she had a sentient incarnation of physical desire whispering in her ear, after all. And yet, reviewing the memory, she noticed that there were more emotions present than just that: tin, chocolate, honey. Concern and pleasure were easily explainable given their discussion and activity, respectively, but what reason did Jinx have for fear? Even sober, the thief had too much self-assurance and drive — too much _spunk_, as Cyborg would say — for rejection of her proposition to hurt her, so what was the reason for the emotion? There was something deeper than lust at work.

Was Jinx acting on the belief that they were kindred spirits of a sort? They did both have extremely painful childhoods, though their recent histories left little for them to build on in that direction. Surely there were other students at the H.I.V.E. who also had torturous early years; why was she spending time with Raven, then? She might imply that she was no longer welcome with her fellow graduates, but both Mammoth and Gizmo had accepted her back into the fold. If the teammates she 'betrayed' trusted her once more, there was no cause for anyone else to keep their distance.

Raven pondered further, idly noting the dawn breaking over the Icelandic horizon. Lust was not the sole motivation, nor was loneliness. Perhaps pity, then. The sorceress bristled at the thought, but quickly smothered her ire. Jinx may not know her well, but she had made clear during their meal two weeks previously that she did not, would never, accept charity of any form. Like all entities with demon blood, she had her pride.

What else could it be? The decision was impulsive, certainly, but there had been no shame or doubt in the pinkette's eyes or emotions afterwards, simply resolve. It was as if she had _planned_ to make a romantic overture, but… not that soon. Raven dropped her face into her hands and groaned.

"…_maybe riding you a couple more times will completely break me in…"_

"…_don't leave me by the phone waiting…"_

"…_you just wanted to be the only Titan who can cuff me…"_

"…_maybe you can give me a 'personal' examination…"_

"…_were you just starved for my affection?…"_

"…_you didn't do anything to me I didn't want you to…"_

"…_I wouldn't mind doing it again in a more **private** spot…"_

"Damn it all to the ninth circle!" Raven screamed into the whistling winds. _How in Azar's name did I miss this?! Jinx has been interested in me for several weeks, since her heist at the museum, most likely. And I, like an idiot, ignored her comments, thinking she was teasing as a matter of habit. What's worse, by giving her non-specific answers, I led her to believe I acknowledged and was receptive to her advances, which I then contradicted by leaving. Will she think me shocked and abhorred by her preferences and therefore no longer comfortable in any relationship with her, no matter how platonic?_

"_I'd say you pissed the farm away this time,"_ Impudence interjected.

"Enough!"

"_Come on, Ravie,"_ Joy said next, _"this can be fixed, and everything will get better. Relationships make people happy, and it'll do the same for you. I should know."_

"Shut up, shut up, shut up! Can I not get five minutes of silence?!" she burst out, heedless of how she appeared, or at least would were there any people to see her. "My life has gone down the drain since all of you decided to jabber at me every minute of every day! I have no one now, and it is your fault!"

The weight of her own declaration crashed down upon her. _No one. I have no family and no friends, my opportunity for a new companion was nothing more than a mirage, and my Ascension is in less than a month. How terrible have I had to act, to be, for this to happen before what should be the happiest week of my life?_ Memories of stern, unwelcoming faces flashed through her mind's eye: fellow Azarathians who had never kept their displeasure at her existence a secret. How many of them had predicted that, just as no one was foolish enough to invite her to an Ascension because of what she was, she would be forced to celebrate hers alone? Her past isolation blended with her present difficulties; the loss of Jinx's friendship, her distance from the team, and a lack of any solutions were too much for her to bear a moment longer. Twin tears cleared paths down her cheeks, and she fell to the ground and wept.

Her soulself, which had been so complacent for the past month, broke free of its restraints. Tendrils of shadow, darker than a moonless night, forked into black lightning across the soil and shattered the bedrock underneath. Unsatisfied with the destruction it had wrought, it lifted great chunks of the cliff and threw them about like so much flotsam caught in a wicked tempest. Through all the chaos, Raven did not respond; so wrapped up in her despair was she that Trigon himself could have returned and she would take no notice.

As quickly as the devastation sprang up, it subsided. A wave of nothingness swirled around her, opening a portal to Nevermore and swallowing her up before it collapsed back into the void.

* * *

Slender arms wrapped around her form, and Raven turned into the embrace, once more a child in need of comfort and kind words. Soft murmurs sounded from above her head as a hand ran through her hair.

"I have better things to do than watch her make a hosepipe of herself," she heard Rage's voice say. "Don't call me over here again unless she's no longer a sniveling mouse, or at least less of a weakling than Fear."

"I will hold myself back as best I can. Thank you for your _aid_, sister." Rage grunted at Love's sardonic reply and teleported away. "Now what am I going to do with you, my dear?"

Raven turned her head to look into the purple-cloaked emotion's eyes. "I suppose putting me out of my misery is not an acceptable option."

"No, it is not. Too long have you run from your troubles; now, you must confront them directly. Why do you examine Jinx's actions so closely?"

"There, there is no sense in her behavior. It has only been four weeks since we became civil acquaintances —"

"Friends, Raven. Joy tells me that Jinx thinks of you as a friend, regardless of how little time you have spent together. You feel the same for her, and you also feel something more, so do not cheapen it. Do you find sorrow and solitude so comfortable a garb that you wish to wear nothing else?"

"Of course not!" Raven leapt from her position on Love's lap and wheeled to face the personification, fury coursing through her veins, burning through her depression. "I am perfectly capable of enjoying myself, given the incentive."

Love rose to her feet as well. "And yet, when offered the opportunity to savor an experience you have dreamed of many times, you flee. Why?"

"The Titans would make an issue of it, even Cyborg. They —"

"Have already expressed their displeasure at your independence. They do not want a teammate; they want a tool that they can pull out when it is needed and throw away once it has served its purpose." Love shook her head. "Forget all the lies you tell yourself. I know you as well as you do, even better in some respects. What is the real reason for your denial of Jinx's affections? Do you find her unattractive?"

A blush suffused her cheeks as she recalled sitting on the couch in the thief's arms, and then the kiss. "She is attractive. Very attractive. But we cannot be together like she wants."

"Why not?"

"She is a criminal, and I am a hero. It would never work out."

Love huffed in exasperation. "You do not know that. But let us assume for the sake of argument that you are correct; did you, or did you not, inform Cyborg that you were considering an alternate occupation?" Raven nodded. "And have you not realized that fighting crime is no longer satisfying?" She nodded again. "So, I repeat, what is the real reason?"

"She deserves someone better, safer."

The purple entity quirked an eyebrow. "She is capable of protecting herself, as she has proven numerous times when you engaged her in combat. Or perhaps you were implying that you would be abusive."

"I am half demon, Love!" Raven panted as her tears threatened to sweep her up once more. "If she has any sense at all, she will fear me when she discovers the truth, just as the Titans do. If not, and we become involved, she will hate me when I finally hurt her. It is better for both of us that we refrain from treading down this road."

"Ah, we come at last to the heart of the matter. You allowed the irrational few to convince you that you are unworthy of love. If you never look for it or accept it, others will be safe from the danger you present. The Titans treating you like they have has only cemented this view.

"Let me correct your thinking, my dear. Jinx already knows that you were begotten through rape, sired by an Evil who sought to and succeeded in eradicating an entire dimension. She knows that Arella birthed you and then wanted as little to do with you as possible. She knows that your own people considered you a taint upon their home and way of life. She knows that your powers can be incredibly destructive and are tied strongly to your anger, which you have loosed on her more than once. And yet, she willingly spends time in your company, invites you to her home — her sanctuary — and offers you comfort and physical affection, with the implicit promise of future romance should you desire it. What, by all that is sacred, do I have to say to convince you that her advances are genuine?"

Raven looked away; laid out like that, there was little she could say to refute her emotion's points. "I could still hurt her."

"And she could just as easily hurt you. If I might remind you, she has the higher body count. The people turned to stone due to Trigon's powers were not your victims," Love qualified as she opened her mouth to argue. "Besides, I would imagine that you have hurt her a great deal already by leaving like you did."

"Oh." She blinked rapidly in surprise, running through her departure. Her words, Jinx's expression, the soft tone used by each of them. "That was not what I intended."

"But it was the result. Raven, I know we have rarely spoken, but I pray you heed my advice now. Return to Jump City. Call Jinx and apologize. If she wants nothing to do with you, you can move on, but if she pulls you back to her like I think she will, _accept it_. There is more to living than sacrifice and self-pity."

Raven fought to keep her temper steady at the last chastisement and nodded. She teleported to the Forbidden Portal and then translocated to her mirror.

After she was sure the Titan was gone, Love turned to the edge of the floating platform. "You were right, she is headed down a self-destructive path. Do Trigon's powers allow you to see what the future portends should she remain as she is?"

"No," growled the red-cloaked emotion, phasing through the stone underfoot. "I have little more than vague premonitions. She is incomplete, just as we are. Should she stay broken, only despair awaits."

Love sighed. "As I feared. Joy will never agree, but you have my support. Convince Raven to perform the merge."

* * *

Raven stepped out of her room as soon as she arrived in the Tower and changed her clothes. Her frank discussion with Love had rattled her, but some warm tea might calm her nerves. The lights were still on in the command center, which was odd; Cyborg and Beast Boy were out on patrol that night, so Robin and Starfire, provided they followed routine, should be in his bed, not up and about. She did not see anyone there, but her empathy informed her that there was a stronger than normal echo of anger. _Excellent, something set Robin off, and he will spend all of tomorrow morning blaming me for it._

She had just set the water to boil when a voice spoke, making her spin around in surprise. "I saw you tonight," the shape-shifter said.

"How long have you been sitting there just to tell me that?" Raven questioned. When Beast Boy did nothing but hold his stony visage, she shrugged. "Bravo, I suppose; I will bake you some cookies for performing your trick. Unless you would prefer a dog treat?"

"I saw you. With _Jinx_," he elaborated.

She froze, her heart pounding faster and faster in her chest. He smirked and stepped closer to her.

"It explained a lot, like why you've been such a bitch all the time. I don't care how you get off, but you're doing it with a criminal, and that's just not cool. I'm sure Robin's gonna be all kind of pissed when I tell him, might even kick you off the team. Now I don't mind a traitor getting her just desserts —"

"Big words for the boy who had a crush on _Terra_."

"Leave her outta this!" Beast Boy snarled at her, grabbing her arm and yanking her towards him. "She was twice the teammate you'll ever be!"

"I agree, selling us out to Slade is a hard act to follow."

The green man growled at her like a vicious canine, but he could not scare her. She was far more terrifying than he could ever _dream_ of being. She felt the background chatter of her emotions lessen and vanish, leaving behind a cold and pointed purpose. "Let me be clear, Garfield Mark Logan. You will keep silent about my outing, not out of loyalty or friendship, but because you know how quickly I can destroy you should you get in my way. Speak, and I will demonstrate exactly how cruel the daughter of Trigon the Terrible can be." Part of her — a deep, dark part — rejoiced at those words. She had acknowledged Trigon as her sire numerous times, but always with contempt or regret; never before had she embraced it, even if it was simply to make a threat.

"_We are who we are, Raven."_

"Except you're not your father! The four of us can take you on."

"If you couldn't even _scratch_ Him, how could you possibly hope to defeat His killer?" Beast Boy released her and stumbled back, his coloration paling to a nearly pastel shade. He turned to run, only for a thread of soulself to latch around his ankle and trip him, then drag him back over.

_Rage, what are you doing?_

"_She's helping me,"_ Wisdom replied. _"Threatening him was a mistake; if he tells the others what he saw and what you said, not even Cyborg will defend you. We have to ensure this ends here."_

_Are you talking about **killing** him? He is an annoying moron, yes, and I want him to keep what happened tonight to himself, but death is far too excessive!_

Wisdom was incredulous. _"You truly believe I was implying that? No, I plan to use an aspect of my powers you have never explored. If you allow me possession, I can collapse his memory of this."_

…_You can erase memories?_

"_No, I cannot **erase** memories. Each individual memory has innumerable associations to others; were I even capable of it, removing tonight from his mind could also cause him to forget you, or his own name, or even how to breathe. What I will do is take the 'edges' of this memory and fold them in on themselves, for lack of a better description, isolating it from his conscious but preserving the connections._

"_There is a risk, however. Should he discover something that is directly relevant to this, such as seeing you with Jinx or hearing you compare yourself to Trigon, he will relive the hidden memory and know what occurred, which he would immediately tell Robin. You must be extremely careful from here on out."_

Raven glanced at the polymorph who was now dangling from the tendril and rapidly cycling through shapes in an attempt to escape, darkly chuckling as he changed into a beaver to try to gnaw through it. _Very well, do what you need to do._

"_Thank you. Rage, keep him still, please."_ The darkness spread over his body, forming a construct reminiscent of a straightjacket.

She hated when one of her emotions took the reins of her body, and even permitting it did not lessen the feeling. She watched the air ripple and writhe, then somehow _swell_ into a transparent version of her soulself. Several tentacles reached out and slid into his Anja chakra, eyes, and temples. A long moment passed, then both Rage's and Wisdom's powers disappeared and she regained control. _"It is done."_

"Ugh, did someone get the number on that moped?" Beast Boy muttered as he raised his head from the ground where Rage had dropped him, then he looked up at her. "Raven? Whatcha doing out here at this time of night?"

"Preparing myself some herbal tea," she replied placidly, pointing a finger at the whistling kettle. "Shall I presume you do not wish to join me?"

He stood and shook his head. "Nah, I'm just gonna get some shut-eye." The metal doors of the room closed with a quiet whoosh after he staggered out.

She let her hands work on their own as she fixed her tea, too occupied with what she had just seen. _I think I now understand why others are cautious when I am around; my powers scare __**me**__._

Seven different laughs followed that thought.

* * *

**I hate hurting Raven. I _hate_ it, but this breakdown has been building for some time and became a wound that needs to bleed before it can heal. The muse commands it.**

**Another reason for Raven's reluctance about entering into a relationship, one that I didn't find a place for in the story, is Malchior. She began to have feelings for him, and what happened? She nearly killed the child Kardiac "ate" and was betrayed. Not a good example of a potential relationship.**

**If it's not clear yet, I'm not Beast Boy's biggest fan. He was an impulsive and immature boy in the TV show, and I can easily see him growing up into an equally impulsive and immature man.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	14. Second Chance

**discb:** I didn't know you _could_ do this in DnD, but more power to you.

**VizeerLord:** Beast Boy is, as I said in chapter 1, the public face of the Titans, complete with adoring fans. Besides, he never seemed to understand her in the show, either.

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** I recommend you reread the last scene of chapter 8; Rage has a objective, and it certainly _isn't_ Raven's well-being. The merge is exactly what it sounds like. All of her Emoticlones are fragments of her psyche, and she's going to put them back together. That means she'll take on some of Joy's personality, and Wisdom's, and Love's, and Rage's, and… you get the idea.

**Guest:** Keep in mind that he threatened her first. Beast Boy knows that she's extremely proud and won't accept someone getting in her face, and _still_ pulled on the tiger's tail. Besides, I hinted that it wasn't purely Raven who was speaking at the time.

**SepticMind:** If a half-demon _doesn't_ scare you, she's not trying hard enough. As I said last chapter, I find him to be annoying, and he makes a convenient semi-antagonist. When the confrontation does happen, it won't just be about Raven dating Jinx anymore; remember that warning Wisdom gave her?

I'm going to _try_ to update this story in a timely manner, but with med school and three fics, it will be a challenge.

**Spikesagitta:** No, the real kick came from Love. Oh yes, she's going to regret doing that.

**Zaan299:** She's taken the first step to healing, and Jinx will be there for her the rest of the way. The problem is that she's used to being totally logical, and it's taking a huge push for her to actually _feel_ her way through this. Jinx won't be drunk, but she's not taking this well; thankfully, she bounces back fairly quickly.

**nada129:** Thank you very much.

**Libri Ignis:** This definitely won't help her get back on the Titans' good side, but did I ever say she would? An incredibly powerful half-demon being guided by a girl with a moral compass that doesn't point north; we are so screwed : )

**TUYET PHAM:** Maybe he would have been developed more if they had a sixth season, but since it ended… I agree with you completely on the Titans not being the best of friends. A lot of insecure people hide behind masks, and Raven's no exception; she's been practicing it all her life.

**Celestia GF of the Void:** That about sums up my problems with him.

**tick-toc-tick:** It's never too late to join this party! I try my best to make the characters _real_, so I'm glad it's coming through.

**Taeniaea:** Thanks!

**TyrionGreywind:** I try not to update my siin; it gets ideas above its station. Kidding, I know what you meant.

**This should — _should_, mind you — be the last of the depressing chapters. I hope so, anyway.**

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven ever mention the negatives living with a shattered mind must have presented? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 14  
****Second Chance**

Jinx lay on her couch, staring at the ceiling. She knew that she should get up and do something, anything, but she couldn't gather the motivation. Rejection wasn't an unfamiliar thing; there had been several other girls she thought were interested in her who had turned out to be straight as arrows, but their looks at her afterward were nothing. Raven's, on the other hand, was a knife tearing at her heart.

The dark Titan was everything she had been looking for. Well, maybe not _everything_. Raven had her flaws: she was a shut-in; had a snooty attitude until someone practically chiseled their way through her shell, even if that was totally understandable with her childhood and team; and for such a smart girl, she was as oblivious as a brick wall. Still, those didn't outweigh her sharp wit and tongue, her hidden caring side, her blunt honesty, her past that meshed so sadly and so easily with the thief's own, her beauty…

She sighed for the umpteenth time in the three days since her wild night. Going through their visit — because it wasn't a date, no matter how much she had thought it was — with a fine-tooth comb and asking 'what if' would do her no good, but there she was, doing it again. It hadn't helped when Stone turned out to be Cyborg, it hadn't helped when she broke up with Kid Flash, so why did she think it would help now? If she had the will, she'd take a long soak in the bath and then move on, but wallowing in depression was easier. She closed her eyes, hoping she could pretend that that night was just a bad dream and Raven was waiting on her to call.

The communicator on her coffee table beeped. _Speak of the devil_, she thought bitterly. _It's Baran, I bet, wanting to talk about what's _'got me down'_. That or Gizmo's gonna threaten to drag me out by my ankles again to snap me outta my funk. Will they leave me alone if I tell them right at the beginning to fuck off? No, that'll bring them here faster. I just won't answer it._ She opened the thing anyway.

What she saw on the screen wasn't a text message, but a long email. Jinx was stumped for a minute, then scrolled back to the top after futilely checking for a signature. The mystery sender had gotten her curious, and not even her break-up lethargy could keep her from scratching _that_ itch.

"_Nirupama,_

"_I wish to begin by giving you my sincerest apologies. When I left your apartment,"_

She almost dropped the device in shock. It was from Raven! She knew her chance with the Azarathian was gone, but no one had ever apologized for turning her down before. Maybe this meant they could at least stay friends, unlike when she asked Angel out.

"_When I left your apartment, I was caught up in my own surprise, so much so that I did not even consider how you must have interpreted my actions. You need to understand, I had never before believed I would be attracted to another woman._

"_To find out that I am, and that the woman in question is someone I have considered both enemy and friend, was a disconcerting revelation._

"_It has taken me some time to understand and accept this desire for you,"_

Jinx's grin had grown from nothing to wide enough to reach her ears after just a few sentences. This was _much_ better than she had even hoped for.

"_time which I fear you have spent in sorrow. That was not my intention. I expect you are also quite angry with me for unknowingly stringing you along, anger I fully deserve. I hurt you, and worse, I did so without realizing it or even considering the possibility._

"_Were I in your position, I do not know that I could forgive anyone who treated me as I have you. At the same time, I find myself hoping that you are a better person than I, that I can correct my mistake and be in your arms once again._

"_If you are willing to give me another chance, I would like to meet with you at your convenience to let me explain myself more fully. If you are not, then I would still like to maintain our friendship. Your companionship has been a balm to my soul over the past month._

"_Please, Nirupama. Just one more chance."_

She closed the communicator with a sharp snap, then she looked around the room. If there would be company over, she needed to clean the place up and get some fresh air inside. There was a health food store close by where she could buy some tea, too. She sniffed herself and grimaced; a shower and a change of clothes just moved to the top of her to-do list. Even her odor, though, couldn't dim her enthusiasm.

So the sorceress wanted to apologize and be her girlfriend after all? Well, she supposed she could oblige. If she played her cards just right, she might even get the chance to satisfy her growing urge to rip Raven's clothes off and throw her onto the bed. _After all_, Jinx thought as she subconsciously licked her lips, _she __**does**__ owe me for this little runaround._

* * *

The H.I.V.E. communicator's beep broke into Raven's fidgeting. Jinx had responded within an hour of her letter saying that she would inform her when their meeting location was presentable. That had been the day before, and she had been impatiently waiting since.

She read the short message — _"Come to my place"_ — and breathed deeply to center herself. Love was correct that Jinx still desired her. _Or she wants to hurt me in return._ She pushed the thought to the back of her mind; now was not the time for her pessimism to have free reign.

With a swirl of her soulself, she teleported to the front door of Jinx's apartment. She knocked quietly, but that did not prevent the thief from hearing and opening the door. "I didn't think you'd make me wait long. Well, come in."

Raven entered the lion's den and looked about the room. Jinx apparently spent the past day cleaning, for the dust she remembered on the carpet had disappeared and the scent of lemons lingering in the air indicated the furniture was freshly polished. She stood uneasily as Jinx dropped onto the loveseat. "I owe you an explanation."

"You do, but I really don't need to hear it. I know what it's like realizing you're into girls; in fact, I took a whole lot longer than a few days to come to terms with it. Let's get to the important stuff: you like me, right?" Raven nodded. "You know I like you, right?"

"This is eerily similar to another conversation I had recently on this subject," she murmured. "Yes, I now know you are attracted to me."

"Did this other person help out with writing the note you sent, too? I thought it sounded a little sappy for you," Jinx said before shaking her head quickly. "Gah, don't distract me! Anyway, we're falling hard for each other. Do you care what the Titans say about us being together?"

"As if you need to ask."

The pinkette laughed. "That _was_ a stupid question, wasn't it? Baran and Giz might make a fuss at first, but they'll get over it. Our teams aren't an issue, our feelings aren't an issue, anything else you can think of that could be?"

"No, I believe those are all of the hurdles, at least on my side."

"Well then, why is there so much space between us?" Jinx rose and sauntered over, delicate hands sliding around her waist and pulling her body against the other girl's. "That's better."

Their second kiss was better than the first. Raven was expecting it this time and responded with enthusiasm, which encouraged her girlfriend — _her girlfriend_, what a thought! — to deepen it and initiate what her clandestine romance novels called the "war of tongues". She melted into Jinx's arms.

Later Raven would berate herself for ignoring the frantic signals her emotions were sending her. As their kiss became more aggressive, she became so focused on the sensations on her skin and the heat radiating from her groin that she almost missed the cold flowing down from the crown of her head. Her eyes shot open, and she immediately noticed the gray and red haze creeping in from the edges of her vision. _No!_ she mentally shouted._ Do not do this, not now!_

"_**I** am not at fault, Raven. This is all you."_

"We need to stop," she whispered, but the thief was too involved in peeling the collar of her leotard down and nibbling on the newly exposed skin to hear her. "Jinx, stop."

"C'mon, Raven," Jinx said, continuing to caress her neck and back, "it's okay. Just relax." Each pass of hand and lips caused the haze to pulse like a beating heart and encroach farther and farther.

"I said _stop!"_ Then she did something she had hoped to avoid: she used her soulself to blast the thief several feet away from her. She spun on her heel to try to calm down, though that it kept from looking at the bewildered and betrayed expression on her girlfriend's face was an added benefit.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a pro at giving mixed signals? Seriously," Jinx muttered, but her voice stopped as she saw Raven's slight shaking. "Raven, what's wrong?"

_I cannot tell her that she nearly saw my true nature, nor can I ignore the question. Forgive me for lying to you._ "My emotions are quite volatile at the moment. I do not wish for my powers to accidentally harm you."

"Volatile? I'd make the case that your emotions are normally like that, but considering your soulself would probably decide to tear me to shreds for it, I'll just ask why it's so bad today."

_Farther and farther down the slippery slope we fall._ "Jinx, you feel for me so strongly. Your affection is a burst of citrus, complemented well by the accompanying joy and lust. You are not forced into maintaining a heart of ice when you want nothing more than to laugh, or cry, or scream in ecstasy. I envy that freedom; I want it for myself to such degree that I doubt you can ever understand.

"When my powers and emotions were caged, it broke me. The Raven you know is only a pale shadow of what I can be, what I _should_ be. For years I have trained, and though I am still discovering what my soulself is capable of, no longer do I have to constantly fight it to maintain control. The difficulty now is that it is rigid rather than unpredictable, which I know is because I am manipulating only a portion of it. It is like forcing the tail to wag the proverbial dog." She took a calming breath as she realized she had abandoned her lie in favor of the unvarnished truth.

"I hope that releasing the bonds will give me full control of all my abilities, but doing so has another effect: my emotions will invariably merge, whether I wish them to or not. For the first time in fourteen years, I will be whole. _Whole_, Jinx, a state that I can barely remember. The thought both terrifies and exhilarates me, and the fragments of my mind are echoing and amplifying that excitement, which causes more disturbances.

"In short, my emotions are acting out because I am in the process of reintegrating them into my psyche."

"Holy shit. Raven, are you sure that's even a good idea?" Jinx crept closer, concern plastered on her face and flavoring the air. "You said that your powers lashed out at every little thing when you were younger. How sure are you that the same thing won't happen again?"

"The odds are in my favor. When I was a child, my father's personality influenced my own; it is a unique trait of His people. Now that He is dead, I am the only one capable of directing my actions." Raven turned to face the woman. _Please believe me. No matter what Love may say, I would rather not see your reaction should you ever discover the truth about this._

The thief looked at her a moment longer, then smiled and said, "Well, you're the closest thing to an expert there is on Azarathian emotion-splitting, so if you think this'll work and be safe, go for it. Um, you won't change _too_ much, will you?"

"I really do not know," she sighed. "I will undergo some alteration, of course, but how much that will be is impossible to predict. The differences will be most dramatic on my nineteenth birthday, as I intend to use sympathetic magic to hasten and perhaps complete the process."

"You'll become an adult, which means your state of self will be in flux and vulnerable to outside influence? Okay, I can see how that would work. So that'll be…" Jinx trailed off and paled. "Oh, crap. I can't believe I never asked this, but when the hell is your birthday?"

"It is in a touch less than three weeks, on the first of November." She had always found it ironic that she, a half-demon, was born on All Saints' Day. "Why are you so upset?"

"One of the big things you've complained about your team is that they didn't ask that for a long time, and now you're my girlfriend and I need to get you a really nice present but I hadn't even thought to _find out_ and —"

Raven gripped the girl's shoulders and guided her to the couch. "Calm down and breathe. We have only discussed the day of my birth in broad terms; you had no reason to know. As for you comparing yourself with the Titans, I must remind you that we have been friends for a month and in a relationship for less than half an hour, whereas they found out after living with me for _three_ _years_. That is a vast difference."

"Doesn't matter, I should have asked when you said they never did. But you're right, it's nothing to get too worried about; I'll just have to throw you a great party!"

"I… I would appreciate that, actually. My team did so once, but I was turning seventeen, not Ascending. Considering what happened afterwards, I believe they now consider it an ill omen."

"Huh, you didn't tell me this story. What happened?" Jinx asked.

"My father raised one of our worst enemies from the dead as a prelude to His arrival on this planet."

The pinkette was completely still for a moment. "Okay, two things. First, when I ask a question like that, it's perfectly all right for you to tell me that I really don't want to know. Second, I'm _so_ glad he's dead because the fact he could do that freaks me out like nobody's business."

They sat in silence for several minutes, Jinx thinking furiously if her expression was anything to judge, and Raven simply enjoying the peace and leaning against her girlfriend. Finally, the thief queried tentatively, "Last time I did something like this without telling you, I really set you off, so I was wondering if you would have a problem with me telling my team about us."

"You are certain they will not have issues with you dating a hero again?"

"Pretty sure. Gizmo's gonna be a pain about it no matter what, but that's just how he is. Baran actually likes you."

"How? I do not remember ever speaking with him."

Jinx shrugged. "You haven't seen him outside of a fight. When it's just us, he's a real 'gentle giant' sort; you know, wanting everyone to be happy and everything. Hanging out with you puts me in a good mood, and I think that's why he didn't care about our friendship even though we're supposed to be on opposite sides.

"Anyway, do you mind if I let them in on this? I don't know if I can keep it a secret from them for long."

"You have a better understanding of how they will react," Raven said after a moment. She would not be revealing their relationship to _her_ team, but that had little impact on the H.I.V.E. boys' response to the news. "If you are convinced they will not create any problems, feel free to inform them."

"Thanks. Of course, they're probably going to want to get to know you, so you'll have to come over to our base sooner or later. I'm warning you now that Gizmo wouldn't know tact if it bit him in the ass; he might even play the 'big brother' card and ask what your intentions are for me."

"I cannot contain the sheer elation I feel at hearing that," she said in a deadpan tone.

Jinx flashed her a smile, but it soon dimmed. "Hey, Raven; when you said your emotions were out of whack, does that mean that we can't make out at all until they're back under control?"

"So long as we find and stay within my limits, we should be safe." Those were the last words either of them spoke for some time.

* * *

"Tell me again why we are waiting for Beast Boy to return," Raven requested to the room at large as they lounged on the various seats in their command center. She was technically over rather than on one as she levitated, Robin and Starfire were sharing the couch watching the television, and Cyborg had claimed one of the chairs from the kitchen. They had already whiled away the time for the past hour, and she was becoming increasingly agitated. Part of that was due to her boredom, but another factor was the increased noise her emotions were making. After she finally decided to perform the merge while she was with Jinx, the various manifestations had begun celebrating; a _'last hurrah'_, as Wisdom facetiously phrased it. Even Fear joined in the festivities, leaving only a disapproving Joy outside in the cold.

"We are waiting, Raven, because Friend Beast Boy told us he had a most delightful surprise in store. Surely you can participate in the twiddling of thumbs until he returns." Starfire ended the terse explanation with a dismissive sniff that sorely tempted Raven to wrap her hands around the Tamaranean's neck and shake vigorously. Instead she forced down the surge of power Rage pushed at her and attempted to relax.

The communicator in her back pocket chose that moment to vibrate. When it did not quickly stop, she knew that Jinx needed to speak with her urgently; they had agreed not to call one another unless an emergency presented itself. "I am capable of _"twiddling my thumbs'_ as easily in my room as I am here. Cyborg, would you please message me when Beast Boy reenters the range of the Tower's cameras? I may as well use this time to meditate in peace." At his nod, she floated out of the room.

Once in her sanctum, she withdrew the still-trembling device and flipped it open. "What is the matter?" she asked without preamble.

"Hello to you, too, beautiful," Jinx retorted. "You remember when I said I'd let you know how the guys took the news about our relationship?"

Raven nodded. By the time the girls had ended their amorous liaison, both Mammoth and Gizmo had departed for a heist in a nearby city. Los Robados was not as wealthy as Jump City, but it also did not possess a team of superpowered vigilantes to capture metahuman criminals. That had been five days ago.

"Let's just say they're panicking. Gizzy's got it in his chrome domed head that this is all a plot to extract some juicy intel from me, and Baran wants us to pack our shit up and get the hell outta Dodge before the other Titans come down on us like the disc of Vishnu for 'corrupting' you. You think you can take a hop over and set 'em straight?"

"Very well. Step away from anything in your immediate vicinity; I will teleport to your psychic presence."

"Um, I don't think that's such —"

Soulself wrapping around her cut off the rest of Jinx's reply. A moment later the darkness retracted, and the first thing she saw was the brilliant red of laser-fire.

* * *

**Does Jinx sound like the stereotypical "won't take no for an answer" asshole boyfriend when Raven tells her to stop, or is it just me?**

**I'd say I'm sorry about the cliffy, but I'd be lying ;-P**

**Silently Watches out.**


	15. Meet the Family

**Ranmyaku Kiritsu:** Aww, did you get up early just to read my story? : P Yes, it was a stupid thing for him to do.

**Spikesagitta:** Yep, and now she's boiling over.

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** Yeah, you really can't blame Jinx for getting a little overeager. The issue with Rage isn't meant to be confusing, but more along the lines of a horror movie. You're screaming "He's right behind you!", but the characters can't hear you; same thing here. Beast Boy's surprise… not quite. I modeled Starfire after her behavior in the episodes "Forces of Nature" and "Stranded", where I at least thought she was a bit of a bitch. I haven't read the comics, so I have no clue if she did side with Red Hood or not. Don't worry, they'll get plenty of time apart soon enough.

**Techpriest of Tzeentch:** _Raven_ doesn't have a problem with it, no. Joy _does_, and with a damn good reason: because of her empathy, she's the only one who knows Rage is up to something, though not what.

**Shalimar Mars:** Don't get too comfortable with those situations. They're both going to collapse soon; Jinx will find out she was lied to in a couple of chapters, and let's just say she has no reason to take it well.

**VizeerLord:** Ha! Where's a rolled-up newspaper when you need one?

**discb:** I just seem to be laying them on you guys, don't I? This chapter may or may not end with one as well, depending on what exactly you consider a cliffhanger.

**jtdarkman:** I always hated her when she acted like that; that she did so in two episodes was two times too many. Will they pull their heads out of their collective asses? Possibly in part 2, but not right now. Some authors want minions, but I think junkies are far more likely to return : P

**Zaan229:** Normally she and Giz would have a problem, but… it's in the story, I won't spoil it. A fight the first day they're together is a bit soon, but no one can expect their relationship to be smooth sailing until everything else has settled down. How Raven will pay is rather interesting; she should be _very_ thankful her girlfriend cares enough for her to forgive her.

**SepticMind:** So many people have said they enjoyed BB getting his mind wiped that I think I got suckered by the vocal minority last chapter. Oh well, live and learn. Jinx will not be happy when she finds out she was lied to. I agree, Raven really does need to take Listening to Your Partner 101 : )

**Why:** I try to do new things once in a while, so I'm glad you're enjoying it. Yeah, Raven jumped the gun on that one, but she had a very good reason to, as you'll see in a chapter or two. Raven is definitely getting darker, but you're right in that the memory block is temporary.

**Sonicthehedgewolf:** Weird is fine with me.

**WARNING! The chapter starts off dark, and I mean _DAAAARK_. Also, some of you (SepticMind and InsanitySorrow 2.0, I'm looking at you in particular) will _hate_ me at the end of this. Read the AN before you do anything… drastic.**

**Disclaimer:** Were Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo happy being thieves, no matter how often they were defeated? If so, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 15  
****Meet the Family**

"_Um, I don't think that's such —"_

_Soulself wrapping around her cut off the rest of Jinx's reply. A moment later the darkness retracted, and the first thing she saw was the brilliant red of laser-fire._

* * *

Jinx knew, as soon as Raven cut out, that this wasn't going to end well. All she wanted to do was give her girlfriend a heads up, not a bad idea considering Gizmo was double-checking their defense systems as if he was prepping for a siege. Great if Jump was invaded by high-tech barbarians, not so great if a dark sorceress was teleporting over.

A wave of cold tickled the hairs on the back of her neck, and the swivel of two dozen laser turrets made her goosebumps get goosebumps. "Giz, shut it down!" Either he couldn't hear her or he ignored her; the guns still discharged in a wall of scarlet. She dived to the floor and turned around, her heart in her throat as she forced herself to look at what she was sure would be a collapsing mass of flesh and blood.

She immediately rolled out of the way of a deflected blast. There Raven stood, not a wound on her, but her eyes were glowing white as four black shields whirled around her, hellish mirrors redirecting the lasers randomly into the crowded room. This originally had been their base's "public entrance" — actually a trap in case cops or Titans tried to barge in — but they had since converted it to storage. Maybe Jinx should have thought about its primary purpose before she stepped inside and made her call.

Only after she scrambled into a safe zone nestled between steel crates did she peer back out. _She truly is an avatar of Kali_. The shields were gone, replaced by tendrils of shadow that weaved and thrust, ripping apart the automatons while thinner strands swatted away any blasts that came too close to the Titan. A moment later and right as half of the turrets were demolished, another layer of defense activated, sending flying drones to harass the intruder. The soulself sought out its new targets, and Jinx flipped out of her hole to avoid the drone crashing where she had been located.

She landed just in time for a black lance to ram through her chest.

Strangely, the trauma wasn't the first thing to register. It was instead the absurdity of the whole situation as she looked down at the offending darkness and watched blood pour out of her wound. _Whoever said you can't see bloodstains on black clothing doesn't know jack shit._ Then the pain hit. She couldn't believe how much it hurt, and she would have screamed if the soulself's destructive properties weren't busy shredding her lungs.

_I've fought for almost six fucking years, never once taking more than a bruise, and now what's going to finally kill me is my girlfriend defending herself from my teammates_, she thought as she fell to her knees, her vision fading. _And I had hoped to be in an orgy before I died, too._

Still, this wasn't as bad as people described it. The pain was getting better, and the boxes nearby were illuminated with a strange blue glow. Ignoring the crunches and bangs still sounding around her, she glanced back at her chest in detached curiosity and stared. The tip of the tentacle had disappeared, replaced by a web of pale light spread around the wound. As she watched, arcs of pink joined in and danced along the glow. As more of her hex energy wove itself into whatever Raven's power was doing, the mixture bubbled and grew, soon covering her entire torso. With a bright white flash, the light vanished and the drones suddenly fell from the air.

"Jinx!" Blinking mostly got rid of the huge spot in her vision as Raven dropped to her side. "Oh, Azar…"

She coughed up the blood that filled her throat and felt the hole. A round section of her dress, four inches or so wide, was completely gone, yet her skin was still there. Ignoring the free show she was giving, she ripped the front open and carefully examined the unblemished flesh. Not a scar, not a bruise, not even a single drop of blood. Only the torn clothing and the fact she was in a pool of fresh crimson gave testimony that she had been hurt at all. "Well, that's different."

The thick steel door slammed open and the two boys ran out. "Jinx! Where are you?" A wave of her hand caught their attention, and they joined the girls. "Oh, sludge-monkey. I swear that shouldn't have happened. The shut-off subroutine wouldn't activate and I couldn't get it fixed and reapplied until just now. You need to get her to the hospital, Raven, and we'll follow —"

She shut Gizmo up with a hand over his mouth. "I'm okay. I don't know _how_ I'm okay, but I am. Thank you, Raven."

The Titan shook her head. "I did nothing. The first I noticed you had been injured, you were already sitting up."

"Huh, that doesn't make any sense." She knew she didn't have a regenerating factor; it would be awesome, but she would have discovered by now if she could heal in an instant. It _had_ to be the result of that blue glow, whatever it was.

"Let us be thankful for small favors," Raven said, helping the thief up. Suddenly exhausted, Jinx leaned on her girlfriend. She felt… empty and shriveled inside, like when she had been staked out in the Mojave for almost a week. That had not been a fun time.

She groaned. "Just help me to my room. I need to change, then get something to eat." Maybe take a nap as well; that was sounding more and more like a good plan.

Her girlfriend picked her up and floated through the base with her guiding. When they arrived, Raven stopped unexpectedly. "I did not imagine your bedroom to look like this."

Admittedly, her room was a little different from most; the building had been constructed according to the H.I.V.E.'s basic floor plans, but she had drastically modified the space she claimed. They had knocked out the floor of the level above, leaving a twenty-foot ceiling. Her bed was situated in a ledge fixed to the wall fifteen feet up and could only be reached by means of the ladder that descended to the middle of the floor. "Must you sleep so high?"

"I have more similarities to a cat than just my eyes and curiosity, so sue me."

The rest of the room was roughly divided into sections. In the corner where the door was located, thin gym mats created a slightly softer area for keeping her body flexible enough for her acrobatics, though she also used the training room deeper in the complex. The next zone, just to the side of the 'gym', was her 'closet'. Since the room didn't come with one — it was supposed to be the training area, but they used the lab for that instead — she tossed dirty clothes in a pile, while clean things were arranged in stacks by type to make it easier to just grab something and throw it on. Across the room from them was her relaxation spot: four squishy beanbags, each covered in polka dots, allowed her to twist around in a variety of positions while she watched the flat-screen on the wall. The last, and most out-of-place, area was in the opposite corner, and that was what Raven was now examining.

"I knew that you were magically trained," the woman murmured as she crossed the floor, still carrying Jinx, and glanced about at the crystals, silver chains, and stacks of maps. She reached out and summoned a discolored and dented compass to her hand. A quick look made her frown, then she returned the object. "And yet, if prompted, I would never have pictured you as a diviner."

"Well, I am; just don't ask me to read the tarot or interpret your dreams. The last time I did, I predicted Kyd would be stung by a bee and have a severe allergic reaction, get mauled by a bear, drown trying to surf, and get hit by a bus, all on the previous Tuesday." She laughed, "So, yeah, not my strong suit. My skills run to finding things, some remote viewing, and that's about it. It's not as impressive as being a sorceress, but I don't have a problem being a mere witch."

The difference between the two groups was as great as the difference between a candle and a pit of lava. Sure, they both let off heat, but that was about where the similarities stopped. Witches could tap into one real talent and maybe learn a few cantrips of another branch; hers, for instance, was clairvoyance, hence the many tools scattered around that she needed to effectively wield her magic. Combined with her meta and combat abilities, she was actually a very capable thief, provided making a get away didn't always pit her against a practitioner of sorcery.

_They_ were a whole other kettle of fish. Where witches were specialists, sorceresses were generalists. That didn't mean they could be underestimated; Raven was a great example of how it was beyond foolish to apply the axiom _'jack of all trades, master of none'_ here. In addition to having a variety of powers, some were capable of manipulating magic with nothing more than their wills and words. Only the fact that there were so few sorcerers and sorceresses kept them from being able to take over the world, and probably doing it easily, too.

"Considering how few humans are capable of even that much, it is certainly not a title to disparage." She lifted a half-melted gold ring and cautiously eyed it. "Trying to expand your talents into enchanting?"

"Foci go for a pretty penny on the black market, so I planned to make a few and sell them as a side venture. I don't think I need to tell you how badly it's going."

"Part of the problem is the text you chose to use. Bertolucci was a quack; I have a far more reliable source at the Tower you can borrow. Do not ask me for advice, though. It is a field I have never had much success in."

"Thanks, Raven. Now, I need to change, so unless you're expecting a striptease…"

The Titan quickly but gently set her on her feet. "That is not necessary. I will leave you and search for Mammoth." The girl practically ran out the door.

"You're no fun, Ravie!" She knew full well her girlfriend couldn't hear her call, but that wasn't the point. With a sigh, she pulled off the remnants of her top. "I guess I can't dismiss the whole 'getting stabbed' thing as a hallucination," she said while looking through a wide hole, this one in the _back_ of the garment.

* * *

By the time she wandered into the living room, Jinx was worried. _Maybe I should have thought this through a bit better. Besides me, they really don't have much in common. They could be at each others' throats for all I know!_ Seeing Baran sitting on the couch, fully immersed in some TV program filled with cars and explosions, she grabbed the remote and cut the power.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"Where are Raven and Giz?"

He grunted as he swiped for the remote, but she was too fast. "He took her over to his computer station, said he wanted to show her something. That's all I know; you know how much I hate computers."

"Yeah, yeah." She tossed the remote back to him, but he stopped her before she could leave.

"If it makes a difference, I think she's good for you."

"Oh?"

"You haven't smiled this much since before we left the Academy. You were downright mopey after your break up with the speed freak." He flipped the tube back on. "And I think you'll be good for her, too."

She turned around and leaned on the arm of his chair. "What makes you say that?"

"When the other Titans got brought up, she changed the subject, but not quick enough. She's having problems with them, ain't she?"

"Yeah, she is. They don't like how she's fighting now. At least, that's part of the issue." Most people would see his size and think he was just dumb muscle; she and Gizmo, however, had learned first-hand that he was also incredibly perceptive. He may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he could read people like a pro poker player. "I think they're gonna have a falling out pretty soon."

"Be nice if she decided to join up with us. We could sure use the firepower." A wave of his hand motioned her toward the door. "Eh, not like it matters. Go get your girlfriend before Giz decides to start analyzing her powers. I don't think she'd take it well."

She laughed at that mental image and shook her head. He had pestered her about that for two months when they first became a team and only stopped when a hexbolt fried his CPU. After that, he didn't care about understanding how she did what she did, so long as it was far away from his stuff.

Raven's voice was the first she heard as she approached the prodigy's domain. "You were correct, I _am_ surprised. I expected it to be too small for you to enter comfortably."

"Nah, a bit of lube and I could slide right in. 'Course, going in and out to jiggle those scuzzy things every time she started slowing down became a right pain in my ass, so Mammoth and I eventually double-teamed the hole to make enough space. We just about broke her in half by accident! I know, I know, it would have been easier to rearrange the layout, but she's right where I want her. You see, this is the perfect height for me to smack her when she's acting uppity."

"Surely there are better methods to increase efficiency than physical violence."

"There would be if she was younger, but these babies get a bit set in their ways as they age. I would replace her with a newer model if I had the money; unfortunately, since I _don't_, I'm just gonna have to keep her and deal with it for a while longer."

"Mail order."

She heard him scoff. "Yeah, right. They get passed around like a bong at a frat party. By the time they arrive, everyone else in the chain has already seen them totally stripped down. Besides, do you know how many viruses they carry? I'd be outta action for _months!_ When I get a replacement, or more likely _if_, I'd prefer to break her in myself."

This was too much for Jinx, and she slammed door open. She was unprepared to see the position her teammate and girlfriend were in.

"What's up?" Gizmo asked, wiping his hands on his jumpsuit to remove the grime from the old server he had held for Raven to examine. The woman in question was paying them only the barest attention as she telekinetically slid the device back into his _ad hoc_ supercomputer.

"Nothing. I thought… nothing. Why are you two holed up in here?"

"Gizmo wanted to prove to me that he is better with computers than Cyborg," Raven replied. She patted the towering hulk of plastic and silicon; no two machines in the setup were the same, and wires were draped on all sides to connect everything. Now that Jinx knew what they were talking about, she could see the narrow gap Gizmo would use to access the behemoth's other side. "And much as I should support my teammate, I think he very well might be, especially given this assortment of parts."

"Ha! Take that, crud muncher!"

The sorceress ignored him. "However, I must admit myself puzzled. I know that you three have been successful on heists when we were engaged in other battles; what did you do with the money if not upgrade your system?"

"Well, food's always an issue, especially with Baran's appetite…" She looked over at her teammate. _Should we tell her?_, she asked with her eyes, and he shrugged before giving a quick nod. "But the big thing is paying people off to make our pasts disappear."

"Excuse me?"

She dropped on the floor beside Raven. "Being supervillains, robbing banks, duking it out with your team; that was fun and games when we were kids, but there should be more to life than scurrying underground to hide from the cops. You know Gizzy wants better computers, Baran misses spending a day in the cinema, and I'd love to enjoy the local nightlife without worrying about getting thrown out because of my reputation.

"We actually have an idea for a new career, but it won't happen as long as we're wanted criminals. So, by putting enough cash in the right people's pockets, the warrants are slowly being rescinded and convictions expunged. Long as we don't get caught and keep up our income to the level it's at, we should be free and clear in a couple of years."

Raven pursed her lips, which tempted Jinx too much to resist. Her girlfriend was grinning faintly after she pulled away, but the expression didn't last long. "You said you had new lines of work planned; what, exactly?"

"Ever heard of the Perseus Initiative?" Gizmo asked, unsurprised at the Titan's shaking head. "It's a classified project the military started, unofficially training metas as mercenaries and then hiring them for jobs that are too delicate to be caught doing but not high enough priority for black ops. Before Brother Blood took over the H.I.V.E., we had already had some training and would have been perfect for it, but his changing the curriculum to focus on grand larceny basically screwed over any chance we had of getting in. Criminal records are a big no-no for the program."

She leapt in, "Which is why we need clean slates. After that's taken care of, we can find someone who'll let us enter. Of course, there'd be a lot of stuff to do first, like upgrading the midget's antiques —"

"I'm a genius, not a metahuman! It's not my fault I need weapons to compensate!"

"Why do you need to improve your equipment?" Raven asked. "You seem to do quite well with what you have."

"I wish. I haven't been able to add anything new for the past year or so. My specialty is hacking and computer programming, not R&D. Honestly, most of my stuff is based off gear available in the Academy; I just miniaturized it and put it all in a single unit. If I could get designs, I'd replace the whole thing with cutting-edge tech, but," he spread his arms, "since I _don't have_ designs, it's all a moot point."

Raven sat back in thought. "I cannot help you with the technology aspects, but both Cyborg and Robin have contacts in the military who might be involved in this Perseus Initiative, or at least know someone who is. I could make a few calls, see what turns up? With the right introduction, they might be willing to ignore your records entirely."

"Girl, you are my new best bud," Gizmo said, his eyes wide. "I'm at the point where I'd make a deal with a devil to get half that help."

The sorceress winced, but before Jinx could call her on it, a jaunty tune filled the air. She pulled out her communicator with a sigh and flipped it open. "Raven here."

"_Raven, we need you to meet us downtown,"_ Cyborg's voice rang out. _"Plasmus was sighted fifteen minutes ago tearin' the place apart, and BB's still a no-show."_

"Are you at the scene now?" At his confirmation, she continued, "Stand still, I will be there momentarily." She closed the com and turned to Jinx. "I hate to run out on you…"

"But it's your job, I get it. Go kick some ass." Raven smirked and dropped into a pool of black.

Jinx whirled on her teammate. "What the fuck was that, Giz? She's my girlfriend, not a resource to be tapped!"

"And I didn't _ask_ for her help, did I? We were explaining what we wanted to do, and she offered. Besides, you should be happy about this."

"Why?"

"Because if we aren't criminals, she won't have to choose between you and the Titans. Instead, she can have both, we'll be in a better line of work, and the Titans don't worry about a potential security leak. Everybody wins."

"Or they'll think she's our accomplice and punish her."

"Then let's hope I'm right, or this is gonna get _real_ complicated."

* * *

Raven appeared at Cyborg's side in time to shield him from a spray of acid. "You could not have called me _after_ you found a safe location?"

"Well, sorry for not makin' things convenient," he said. She dropped her barrier, and he fired his cannon at the purple monstrosity, creating a hole that was quickly filled in with more ooze. "I was more concerned with keepin' him from gooin' everythin' in sight."

"Do we have any ideas of his goal this time?" she asked as he did just that, drenching an electronics store in bright green slime. The other instances in which he had attacked he was either serving as a tool or searching for sewage to consume. Never before had he caused carnage simply because he could.

Cyborg winced as the slime monster slapped Starfire out of the air and spewed on the building she had fallen into. "Nope. Every time we land a hit on him, he just forgets what he was doing and slimes what's in front of him. Seriously, what's with these guys nowadays? First it was Mumbo, then Control Freak and Rancid, and now Plasmus? I'm sure prison is borin', but it's like they've completely lost their minds!"

_Another piece of the puzzle. One minor villain to begin, followed by two more, with a resilient but unreasoning meta as the third course. Unlike the others, though, Plasmus would never leave his stasis chamber of his own volition, so the person responsible did not just throw the door open and let him walk out. Why free and arm relatively weak criminals, then set them loose on the city with no direction? This smacks of a setup._

"Let me see if I can put him under," she said, settling into her customary meditation position. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."

In the astral plane, she pulled her soul out of her body and soared at the enemy, knowing that all anyone could see on the physical plane was darkness pouring from her silhouette and taking the shape of her namesake. She reached out to his representation, thinking to possess him and force him into unconsciousness, but the moment their forms touched, a backlash struck and flung her back. Previously invisible runes completely shrouded him; some were familiar, but others were foreign to her. What most disturbed her, however, was that the symbols she recognized were all of demonic origin.

_The part I can read is meant solely to keep out psychic intrusion,_ she thought with a mental frown, _and I would not be surprised if many of the other sets reinforce it. Adding what I already know, there are at least two people working together, someone with experience in magic and another who knows technology. Or is it just one person who can do both? That would be incredibly difficult, but not impossible._

Shaking her head, she returned to her body. She noted Beast Boy had finally joined them as she told Cyborg, "He has protection against possession. It appears we will simply have to beat him until he collapses."

"Got it covered," Beast Boy said with a grin. He pointed upwards, and she lifted her eyes to see a rapidly growing dark blotch in the sky; likely something very heavy falling towards them. Before she could move from under it, it abruptly changed direction and hurtled at Plasmus. The object turned out to be a chunk of rock, one that shattered when it hit the sentient blob. Out of the mass of earth and slime flew a metal device and two individuals; one was unconscious, the innocent human form of their enemy, but the second landed on a stone floating in mid-air and sheathed in a golden glow.

"Hey, guys!" the figure called, whipping long blonde hair out of her face. "Did you miss me?"

* * *

**Just so there's no confusion, Jinx should have been dead before she hit the floor; the attack destroyed her heart and a good chunk of both her lungs. As for what stopped that from happening… demonic powers plus pure chaos equals what, class? This is actually going to be rather important later on in part 2, so don't forget it.**

**I mentioned to Concolor44 a few chapters ago that a scene from his story _Transition_ had helped conceive this tale, but never said just which one. In chapter 11, Raven asks Jinx why the H.I.V.E. trio stuck around Jump as unsuccessful criminals rather than hire themselves out as mercs and make a fortune. I got to thinking about it, and after rewatching _Iron Man 1 _and_ 2_, the Perseus Initiative sprang into my head. _Aaaand_ I'm sure most of you don't care, so we'll move on now.**

**PUT DOWN THE TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS! Anyone who has read chapters 10 and 13 — which should be _all_ of you — knows how I feel about Terra; don't think for a minute that she's in the free and clear. She has paid _dearly_, which you'll see next chapter.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	16. House of Cards

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** Ah, I see. No, Raven would not trust Terra, but I hope you'll enjoy how I'm twisting the blonde. The way I phrased Raven's and Gizmo's conversation was _definitely_ on purpose; I got a kick out of picturing Jinx's face as she listened to it and fell into the gutter as well. The dark part was her slowly and painfully dying, even if she was safe in the end; a lot of my warnings are from imagining how my best friend would react to scenes, since she doesn't take dark things well _at all_. And might I say, if _Vermillion Ascendent_ is your yardstick for darkness, this story will disappoint you by the end.

**Ranmyaku Kiritsu:** Well, it _is_ Raven, the girl who can keep her face blank while screaming on the inside. Besides, she didn't realize that she stabbed _through_ Jinx; the flash of light caught her attention, then she saw the pool of blood, but her girlfriend didn't have any obvious wounds.

**tick-toc-tick:** That'll be in the next few chapters; we're hurtling towards the end.

**Spikesagitta:** Pretty much; they're thinking about Terra's final act of killing Slade rather than the betrayal that led up to that.

**Sonicthehedgewolf:** She's not my favorite character, either.

**Zaan229:** Ha ha, quite a few of your questions are things that I won't go into (such as who runs the Perseus Initiative, simply because they won't be seen) or that are plot points for part 2 (like how the hell Jinx survived). I will, however, reveal to you that yes, Raven and Jinx will stay together. Terra… I'm not her biggest fan, not by a long shot, and I see her actions against Slade as revenge rather than any sort of nobility. That said, she's paid in full for her mistakes by this chapter. She and Beast Boy _may_ get together, but it will be after part 1 is finished.

**jtdarkman:** I have found that while I hate reading cliffhangers, _writing_ them is just too much fun!

**SepticMind:** The healing at the beginning _was_, in fact, one of Raven's emotions working on the fly — Love, to be specific. The white flash at the end that completely regenerated her chest… you're half-way there; Jinx had a hand in it, too, though she didn't realize it. Your wish is my command, Mistress ; P

**Mistique Four:** Thanks for giving it a try! Terra's return is the first thing explained, so you need wait no longer.

**Techpriest of Tzeentch:** Yep, HER.

**Disclaimer:** Did Terra get to live a normal life after she threw the Titans' friendship and trust back in their faces (and, admittedly, was freed from stone)? If so, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 16  
****House of Cards**

Raven entered the library and glanced at her doppleganger. "How is the analysis coming?"

"Not well," Wisdom commented from her spot on the floor, leaning against the bench. "I finished translating the demonic runes, but the others escape me. That said, I believe there is some common link between this artifact and the components of Rancid's dogs."

"You do? How so?" She lifted the wide silver disc Plasmus had worn during their fight eleven days ago. It had fallen off him when he was knocked unconscious, and she had no difficulties taking it without the other Titans watching since none of them noticed it. They were too busy mooning over Terra's overly dramatic return.

_Fine, that might be a bit harsh._ She, personally, had been so enraged when she first spotted the blonde that Cyborg had to restrain her from ripping the geokinetic's pretty little head off her shoulders. When they settled into the Tower's command center to 'debrief' her — Raven would have preferred a ruthless interrogation, but she knew she would be overruled should she suggest that option — they discovered that the girl in front of them was _not_, in fact, Terra. At least, not mentally.

When Terra killed Slade and petrified herself, she had apparently tapped into a hereto unknown capacity for magic, reinforcing her metahuman ability and temporarily giving her the strength necessary to wrest control of her amplification suit from him. Because of that magical aspect, Raven reversing the destruction Trigon wrought upon his arrival was able to break the stone shell around her. The girl who came out, however, was not the same as the one who went in. She had suffered global retrograde amnesia, leaving her with no knowledge of who, where, or even what she was. Some of her other memories were likewise lost, giving her the information base expected of a twelve year old. For all that Raven had despised her, she grudgingly agreed that regaining the factual memory appropriate to her physical age of fourteen in only five months deserved some form of congratulations. During her re-education period, she had chosen the name Lisa Jones and settled into a normal life.

Her innate powers, however, would not be denied. Eight months ago, her meta talents awoke again, causing a weak earthquake centered at her school. In retrospect, it was good that Beast Boy had kept an eye on her when he could spare one from his adoring fans. Having been closer to the original Terra than any of the rest of them, he was in the unique position of knowing some of the methods used to control her finicky abilities, and with that personal instruction, she was no longer a danger to herself or others, though her manipulation still lagged behind what it used to be.

Upon hearing her sob story, the other four Titans had welcomed her back with open arms and offered to assist her in moving into her room in the Tower, which Beast Boy had apparently turned into some form of shrine and kept exactly how she left it. She had acquiesced without hassle, knowing any comment against the girl would only worsen what was left of her relationship with her teammates; that had not kept her from performing multiple surreptitious empathic and telepathic probings to prevent another betrayal. After a week and a half, she was willing to concede that Lisa — for that was how she preferred to be addressed — did not harbor any malicious intent. During her investigation, she also found that the magical talent she had observed no longer existed; much like Cyborg's restoration after Brother Blood seized control of the Titans East, it was a single-use power.

"I do not know this for certain — that would require some skill in psychometry," Wisdom responded, pulling her from her reverie, "but there seems to be a similar logic to the organization of both the circuits and the runes, at least those that I believe were added recently to the artifact. I can only assume that both are the product of a single person."

Raven sighed. "I was afraid you would say that. Mastering both technology and magic would require a great deal of time and practice. So, we are dealing with someone who is intelligent, likely well-versed in a number of disciplines, and therefore incredibly dangerous."

"I concur. There is more, however. Take another look at the runic scripts; do any of them remind you of something?"

She examined the symbols more closely, taking in the variety of styles. Some were sharp and blocky, others gracefully curved, and one, which appeared older that the others, had an unusual number of whorls… "Dear Azar, this set looks quite similar to that from the Mongolian slave-collar."

"My thoughts exactly. I am ashamed to admit I did not pay as much attention as I should have to all of the artifacts you confiscated, but that pattern stands out. I hesitate to form conjecture based on this relationship until it is confirmed, however."

"Well then, it seems I must take a short trip to Geneva."

* * *

Raven ignored the suspicious looks the guards were directing at her as she made her way to the Secure Accounts manager. He was already watching her, apparently no stranger to clients walking into his office at one in the morning, so she jumped straight to business. "Angela Vogel, account number 69653626." Nothing else was said, for no more was needed.

The man quickly glanced over the tailored suit she had donned before teleporting and held out his hand for identification. She gave him the red passport that marked her as a German citizen, reclaiming it after his cursory examination. He then typed the number from memory into his computer, read whatever information it displayed, and stood from the desk. "Please follow me, _Frau_ Vogel." He took her to an unobtrusive door and led her down the stairs behind them. It was time for the real security measures.

After a retina scan, fingerprint match, keycard, and her customary spurning of their offer to add a genetic recognition system, she stood alone in a nearly bare white room. Along one wall was a conveyer belt, and at the other was a simple steel table, but it was instead to the console in the middle of the space that she walked. She spoke into the microphone, "Vogel, Angela, identification 8272787665. Retrieve item 75383." The conveyer whirred into action, and a minute later a small metal case rolled towards her. Rather than waste time moving it, she opened the container where it sat and pulled out a leather and iron collar.

"The rune sets _are_ the same," she murmured, tracing the characters seared into the hide. "Now the questions are: who found the plate, why did they need it, and what were two Mongolian mind-control artifacts doing in Jump City in such a small time period?"

"_I have no idea, obviously to control Plasmus, and likely nothing good,"_ Wisdom quipped. _"I am more concerned with __**where**__ the perpetrator found the plate. If it was in Mongolia, the possibility exists that this individual has other relics with similar properties."_

_True, but thankfully, I know just the man to ask._ She pulled out her communicator and manually dialed in a phone number she had become quite familiar with. "I need to speak with Dr. Harris immediately," she told the receptionist. Jason Harris was the associate director of Jump City's museum and an expert on the ancient Far East. In fact, he had been the one to inadvertently inform her of the slave-collar's existence in the first place.

A minute passed before she heard the reedy voice on the other end. _"Hello?"_

"Dr. Harris, this is Raven with the Teen Titans. I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time?"

"_My, you five **do** work quickly. We haven't even reported the theft to the police yet."_

Raven's heart skipped a beat. She had assumed that she was the only person stealing from the museum; apparently, she was mistaken. "That was not what I was calling about, but I will be happy to take whatever information you can provide. What is missing?"

"_It was a goblet rumored to have belonged to the Roman emperor Nero, given to him by an insulted Arab sheikh; supposedly, drinking alcohol from the vessel would slowly drive the bearer insane. Terribly interesting story, I must say, though it's not my particular field of study. The last time anyone saw it was… three nights ago? Yes, that was it; Carl — Dr. Green, my Western Europe colleague — had returned it after discovering an unusual inscription on the bottom, a language variant he has never encountered. We were going to call you in to take a gander, but with the new Bolshevik exhibit —"_

"Yes, I understand," Raven said, cutting off the man's monologue and reworking her question in light of the new facts. "It is a busy time for you right now. I will add this item to our list and start a search for it. Speaking of the list, I was hoping you could clarify something for me. Did you ever have in your possession a silver plate, possibly from Mongolia or the surrounding region?"

"_A silver plate? Hmm, let me think… yes, we did have an artifact matching that description. It was one of the first things stolen, in fact."_

"How long after the _Necronomicon_ grimoire was taken did it disappear?"

"_After… you seem to be misinformed, Ms. Raven. Kublai Khan's plate of servitude went missing two months **before** the grimoire."_

Again her mind stumbled in its tracks. The book was the first of her 'appropriations', so if this had been stolen prior to her own thefts…

Impudence finished her thought. _"Someone out there could have a shit ton of firepower, and we don't have a fucking clue who or why."_

She gulped. "Thank you for your time, doctor. I will let you return to your work now." She hung up, not listening to his reply, and her communicator immediately began to ring. "Raven here."

"_Hey Raven!"_ the newest member of the team called. _"Robin says he needs you back at the Tower, wants to talk to you about something."_

She quirked an eyebrow at the grinning blonde. "And why did he not call me himself?"

"_Oh, um, I actually volunteered. It's the first time I've gotten to use this thing, and it's a big deal, you know? I mean, I'm a real Titan now and get to go on missions and fight bad guys even though I won't get to see my friends as much but I'll have money to go on shopping sprees with them once in a while and get our nails done and see a movie or three and I'm pissing you off again, aren't I?"_

The sorceress lifted the corners of her mouth, though her clenched teeth made her expression more a grimace than a smile. "Perhaps a little."

"_Sorry. I don't mean to, I just start rambling when I'm nervous, and I know that sets you off like nobody's business and that just makes me more nervous and so I ramble more and —"_ the geokinetic took a deep breath and let it out. _"Uh, can I ask you a personal question?"_

"What?" Raven muttered under her breath. It had been a long time since a Titan had asked her anything personal; her and Cyborg's talk in the garage a month ago not withstanding, the last occurrence had been during Trigon's rise. Louder, she replied, "Very well, provided I not find it insulting."

"_Okay, I was just wondering… why don't you like me? I can tell I did **something**, but I don't know what that was, and I want us to be able to work together, so…"_

"Understand, Ter — Lisa, it was nothing you yourself did, but your… _predecessor_ and I did not have a good relationship. In addition, the last time we saw each other was especially difficult."

"_Why?"_

"We were both trying very hard to kill the other." The girl paled, so she continued, "As she did, in effect, die soon afterwards, I consider the matter closed, but now you should understand my attitude. It will take time before I can see you without immediately preparing to attack."

Terra — _**Lisa**__, it will only be make separating them in my mind more complicated if I refer to them the same_ — sniffled and nodded sadly. _"So, I'm guessing the best thing for me to do is stay out of the way?"_

_I need to 'nip this in the bud', as they say._ "No, that would do nothing but prolong our situation. Simply understand that when I am… terse… with you, that it is because you have reminded me of a conflict I had with Terra rather than offended or angered me. If it improves your disposition, I have yet to find any issue with _you_." _Partly because you are trying so damn hard to be likable._

The blonde smiled brightly. _"Thanks, that does make me feel better. I'll try to keep all this in mind, but at least I know it wasn't my fault. Anyway, Robin needs to tell you something, so hurry back."_

"Allow me five minutes; I am sure that whatever it is can wait that long."

* * *

"_What?!"_

Robin ignored her indignant shriek. "I said, you're being suspended. You've become a loose cannon, one that I won't allow to harm the rest of the team. Lisa will take over your duties until such time as you can show you're no longer a liability."

Rage and Courage pushed her their powers, ready and willing for a fight. **"Give me one good reason I should not take your words and shove them down your throat,"** she hissed, her eyes glowing vermilion. The other four people at the table slid their chairs away; none of them wanted to be caught in the crossfire.

"Besides your attitude right now? How about what you did to those bank robbers a few days ago?" Her eyes returned to normal and she looked away at his mention of that gaffe.

Several oft-targeted business, such as banks, jewelry stores, and the like, had installed second sets of silent alarms that would alert the Titans directly in case of metahuman-involved crimes. When a quartet of thugs drew their guns in the bank on Summerland Avenue, a new employee had panicked and hit both buttons, which were located on the same panel for ease of access. Raven had been the first to reach the computer and immediately teleported to the address reported, thinking it was Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth getting into trouble; if so, she planned to quietly convince them to flee before the rest of the Titans could arrive. Instead, she had multiple weapons fired at her, and she had thrown up a shield before slamming the four into the walls.

There was a reason the Titans were not called in for purely human crimes, and it was because other than Robin, they were all simply _too strong_ for normal people to fight. Metahumans were far more durable, enabling them to take more hits before they were actually harmed. If Jinx had been the one she flung at a concrete column, the pinkette would have been winded but would quickly pick herself up; the bandit had made a sickening crunch and was still. Once at the hospital, he was found to have had his back broken in three places. He now had no sensation below mid-chest and would require a motorized wheelchair and feeding tube for the rest of his life.

"Yes, that was a mistake on my part, but I believe I can be forgiven for that. Bullets will kill me just as surely as they will you."

"And defending yourself was fine, but you went too far, _again_. Look, Raven, I'm not trying to be unreasonable," he said, spreading his arms wide. "Treat this as mandatory downtime. Meditate, read a few books, take a vacation. Do whatever you need to do to get your head on straight. Once you're back to normal, you can return to your spot on the team, no questions asked, but until — " The klaxon sounded, interrupting him.

"That white absorbing guy was spotted on Roosevelt," Beast Boy called from the computer. "I thought he was long gone."

"Apparently not. Titans, go!" The four experienced members charged out the door, though Cyborg spared her a mournful look.

"Um," Lisa started, "I want you to know I had nothing to do with this. He didn't even tell me about it until just now."

Raven sighed. "I know. Robin has a bad habit of deciding he knows best without all the information. He is also as stubborn as anyone I have ever known, hence why I did not waste my breath attempting to reason with him. Go," she nudged the girl towards the door, "there is no need to stay here on my account. I can entertain myself just fine."

Lisa nodded and ran out the door to catch up with the others.

The mask she had applied for the geokinetic's benefit shattered. "Richard, you arrogant, self-righteous, heavy-handed hypocrite, you _will_ pay for this insult," she growled. She turned to the computer station and typed in the access code for the personal files. "I hope you do not mind helping a trio of thieves."

She had spent over two years with a mental connection between them, and one does not come out of that arrangement without having learned a thing or two about the other person. She pulled up Robin's section of the network and entered his password; _'flyinggraysons'_ was simply too obvious to provide any security. She looked over the various folders and, after a few minutes, had all of his military contacts copied onto a portable drive. She was about to exit when another folder caught her attention. "What is Operation Exorcist?"

She opened it, and her eyes widened. "You utter bastard." Operation Exorcist was the contingency plan he had mentioned to Cyborg the day she had lunch with Jinx several weeks ago, and it was clear why he had referred to it only obliquely. The primary component seemed to be a cage to contain her, which would have various inscriptions providing a barrier that she would be unable to walk, fly, or teleport through. A closer inspection revealed that the magic was to be provided by her least favorite member of the Justice League, Zatanna. After they trapped her like an animal, there were a number of options they could choose from to deal with her, including permanent magic inhibition or a demonic banishment ritual.

She gripped the drive tightly in her hand. _This has gone on for too long. Unless something drastic happens soon, I will not continue as part of this team. Perhaps Jinx and the boys would be willing to have a fourth member on their mercenary squad?_ Furious, she stuck the device back in. A swift search located his equipment schematics, both his Robin weapons and his untested Nightwing designs. _And he kept a record of how he built the Red-X suit, how convenient. Gizmo did say he needed new technology, did he not?_

She teleported over to Jinx's apartment a few minutes later. Laying her 'present' — her books on enchanting and elucidating latent magical talents as well as the drive — on the coffee table, she was about to depart when she heard a voice. "Leaving already?"

"My apologies, Jinx. If I had known you were here, I would… have…" She stared, her mouth moving, but words refused to come. Her mind was totally consumed with the sight of her very wet, very _naked_ girlfriend.

* * *

**So, did Terra/Lisa pay enough? She has absolutely no memories of her past life, nor will she _ever_ regain them. The girl we all know as "Terra" is officially dead.**

**I believe I've said before that I have no first-hand knowledge of any Swiss banks, but it bears repeating. Just for fun, try to guess the meanings of the different numbers; trust me, they aren't hard.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	17. Pillow Talk

**Sonicthehedgewolf:** In a manner of speaking, yes.

**Techpriest of Tzeentch:** Ha ha, that makes a _lot_ more sense : ) Project Exorcist _is_ the last straw, but Raven has a reason for not destroying everything just yet.

**Ranmyaku Kiritsu:** Don't worry about feeling pickish! I interpreted your question from last time to mean "why didn't Raven freak out from stabbing Jinx?", with the answer being that she didn't realize _she_ was the one to cause the injury. She recognized something had happened, sure, but a closer examination showed no wounds or broken bones. When you deal with reality-warping mini-Robins, giant invisible teddy bears, and abusive extra-dimensional demonic fathers sending reanimated corpses to kidnap you, I'd imagine the immediate reaction to weird events becomes something along the lines of "well, at least we still have all our limbs attached". For all she knows, Jinx was blasted by one of the drones but managed to regenerate spontaneously; in fact, part of the reason she included the book on discovering hidden magical abilities in her "present" was that she thinks Jinx might have a latent talent for healing magic. The reference to the cage was rather subtle, but that's what Robin was referring to in chapter 10 when he told Cyborg to "let him handle it" should Raven completely lose it. I hope I'm not the reason for your fury!

**Spikesagitta:** One guess as to which Raven cares about more at the moment : )

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** I wouldn't know about fans' reaction to Terra in comics, as I've never read them. That said, I enjoyed writing Lisa; it helps that I can "fix" what I _didn't_ like about her TV portrayal.

**VizeerLord:** Unfortunately, Lisa came around too late to help.

**tick-toc-tick:** The main reason I didn't show the scene at the bank is that it simply wasn't that important. We're never going to see those four again, after all, and I could cover the important part (that she jumped the gun and crippled one of them) in 200 words rather than the thousand or more I would need otherwise.

**discb:** Raven was suspended rather than kicked out because Robin's _trying_ to not be a total SOB; it's just not working out well for him.

**SepticMind:** It probably was rushed; I wanted to get to the fun stuff too much!

**Guest:** She will change her call sign, don't worry. I just don't know what it will be yet.

**jtdarkman:** That's my take on Lisa, too. The Operation Exorcist file is _definitely_ wrong, and what's worse is that's just the contingency plan for Raven. As I hinted at in chapter 1, Robin has strategies against _all four_ of the Titans. For the numbers, I used the good ole cell phone code: her account number is "MWolfman", the writer for the original comics; her ID is "TaraStrong", her voice actress; and the item number is "slave". What can I say; sometimes, I've just gotta be silly.

**kidmnstrr:** We're part of a niche group, that's for sure. Please note that I accept no responsibility for trouble you got in at work after staying up late : )

**Zaan229:** I had much more fun with Lisa than I expected, possibly because I can write her however I want. She's 16 now, 2 years younger than Garfield (they were the same age in seasons 1 and 2, but she didn't age while in her stone shell). She and Raven won't be _close_, but there isn't nearly as much tension between them as there is between Raven and the rest of the team. The numbers for the stolen items are random as another security measure (and also because I was having fun with them; see the last part of my review to jtdarkman). Remember that Robin has already partially convinced Starfire and BB that she's succumbing to her demon blood, not that her reactions have helped matters, so the hard part will be bringing in Cyborg and Lisa. Both girls are going to have fun with this clothing situation, don't worry ; ) As for raging at the Titans, Jinx is possibly _more_ offended at what they're doing; in her profession, a trustworthy team is _everything_, and the Titans aren't supporting Raven as she thinks they should. There will be a little violence before everything is over, but just wait until part 2… it's giving me shivers of excitement.

**TUYET PHAM:** Raven hasn't broken from the team _just_ yet. There are still a few days until her Ascension, and _that_ is the time she'll truly resign.

**Dak Hamee, ShadowCub:** Yeah, Robin's becoming a bit _too much_ like Batman.

**TyrionGreywind:** Raven was always going to join Jinx and the boys; it's just a matter of how much damage gets done to the Titans' friendships first.

**Gaia Bane:** See my response to jtdarkman for the numbers' significance. She didn't delete the files for two reasons: first, she's sure there are back-ups somewhere, so it wouldn't really do any good; and second, she doesn't want to reveal her plan to leave the team until after her Ascension. Subterfuge is the name of the game for the next few days.

**The-Intensity:** Great to have you aboard! Jinx will get her due _quite _soon, with Beast Boy, Starfire, and Robin getting theirs a little later. I'm glad there weren't too many mistakes, though with the number of times I proofread these chapters, I _should_ have caught them all. If you'll excuse the pun, Raven is indeed hard as hell to write accurately; she is the perfect example of the phrase "still waters run deep".

**Celestia GF of the Void:** You keep bugging me about tentacles, well you're gonna get your damn tentacles! : ) Yes, Raven's going to change her outfit, as are the three ex-HIVE.

**Deathnoteuser, diserd-love, Manah Scarlet Shadowsong, mangagirl64, Obsessive Imaginings, Revengest:** Thanks!

**My goodness! So many of you have asked me something along the lines of, "Why isn't Raven getting the hell out of there already?!" I'll be revealing the answer to that next chapter, have patience.**

**As some of you know from reading my other stories, you won't find any lemons here. Trust me, that's a good thing; I'm utter crap at writing them.**

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven ever have sex? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Pillow Talk**

"_My apologies, Jinx. If I had known you were here, I would… have…" She stared, her mouth moving, but words refused to come. Her mind was totally consumed with the sight of her very wet, very **naked** girlfriend._

* * *

"If I'd known you could be taken down by a pair of tits, I would've flashed you years ago," Jinx giggled.

The sound was so unusual for her that it broke Raven from her stupor. "Why are you nude?" she asked, working hard to keep her blush from her face.

"I just got out of the shower. Your timing sucks; if you had shown up twenty minutes ago, you could have joined me."

_If I had arrived then, I might have taken you up on that offer. _She shook the thoughts from her head and turned so she was no longer looking directly at temptation. "I brought the books I promised, as well as something for Gizmo."

"Thanks," Jinx said as she finished drying herself and tossed the towel behind her. Now that her hair was no longer weighed down by the water, it floated upwards as though full of static. _That explains why she always wears it in horns._

Raven had made the mistake of looking at her girlfriend again and raked her eyes over the lithe, athletic form. Something needed to be done before she lost control; already she could feel herself growing wet as images of what she wanted to do with and to the pinkette whirled through her mind. "Can you put some clothes on, please?"

Jinx's smile widened, and she sashayed closer. "I _can_, but I don't think I will. I like seeing you all flustered." She draped her arms around the half-demon's neck. "Besides, you can't say you don't enjoy the view."

"That is the problem; I will not be able to hold myself back if we continue like this." They had been meeting every few days since officially beginning their relationship, and each time Jinx would pull her farther and farther out of her comfortable shell. Had she not wanted the same thing the woman was offering, a refusal would not be so difficult, but she was finding the thought of acquiescence increasingly attractive. Only her fear of the near-guaranteed consequences prevented her from accepting.

"Then don't hold back, just go with it. I won't mind you cutting loose; I've told you before, I'm not like your teammates." The thief laid her forehead against Raven's, the Titan's thin boots giving her just enough extra height for them to be at eye-level, and she could not help but notice what enticing eyes they were. Unfastening her broach, Jinx removed her cloak and let it fall to the floor.

She was unable to hid her blush at her new state. On Azarath, a leotard and some outer covering were the traditional clothes of minors; by taking away her cloak, Jinx had performed the equivalent of stripping her to her undergarments. "I want to, but —"

Her communicator's ringtone interrupted her and caused her girlfriend to sigh. She pulled it from her pouch and was prepared to lambast whoever had the audacity of calling her at that exact moment when she stopped to reconsider. With a smirk, she encased the device in soulself and teleported it back to her room.

"Not that I'm complaining, but don't you need to keep that in case there's an emergency?"

"Not particularly." Surrendering to the inevitable, she looped her arms around the thief's waist, though she carefully avoided touching the supple, silky skin with her bare hands lest she fall victim to her lust. "If they wish to suspend me from duty, they cannot expect me to come running every time they whistle."

Jinx's jaw dropped. "They _suspended_ you? What the fuck, Raven?!"

"Richard said that my manner of incapacitating the men trying to rob Jump Central Bank last week was too extreme. I apparently need to _'get my head on straight'_ before I can reclaim my position. Honestly, I no longer wish to; the environment in the Tower has recently become intolerable. I will stay only until I undergo my Ascension, then I will move on."

"You know you're welcome here any time, and we'll gladly take you with us if you decide you want to try mercenary life. Still, I don't understand what about your actions was _'too extreme'_. Those four guys had _submachine guns_; unless you're bulletproof all of a sudden, there's no way you could have been gentle and not gotten turned into Swiss cheese. Hell, if you guys were cops, you could've killed them all and no one would blame you, but you only crippled one of them. What's Robin's beef?"

"We are vigilantes, and therefore not part of law enforcement. He believes that unless we continue to be paragons of virtue, the system will turn on us and imprison us alongside the criminals we capture." She snorted dismissively. "He forgets that we have public opinion on our side, not to mention sheer ability. If the police are incapable of stopping a few small-time metahumans, what chance do they have of defeating _us_, who make a living doing just that? No offense," she added, recalling exactly who her audience was.

"None taken. Of course, you realize what getting rid of your com means, right?" Jinx brushed her lips sensuously against her ear and whispered, "I have you all to myself for as long as I want."

Raven tried her best to distance herself from the sensations washing over her as they kissed and caressed, but she was lost to her desire by the time they fell onto the couch, their legs tangled. She even managed to miss the cold flowing down her spine in favor of her girlfriend's heat, but when her limbs began trembling, she knew they had to desist before something unthinkable happened.

"Ji —" Her voice caught as Jinx ground against her; the pulse of pleasure pulled the haze farther in, leaving only the pinkette free from the curtain of mottled red and gray. She tried again, but all that escaped her mouth was a liquid moan. Her body betraying her, she turned to her mind. _You have to stop this._

"_As I told you last time, I'm not at fault,"_ Rage said, her unseen smirk obvious. _"If I were, you'd be scraping metahuman from under your nails, not scraping her scalp with them."_

_Then who is responsible?!_

"_You are."_

Raven flew into a panic as the haze continued to grow; now Jinx's hair and eyes were all that was still visible. _I have no control over this! It cannot be me!_

"_Face the facts; it __**is**__ you, and you alone. You are a demonling, however much you wish to deny it. Haven't I said, _'we are who we are'_? Did you really think boundless anger was the only instinct that could loose your true nature? If you wish for this to stop, you must tame it yourself."_

_**How**, Rage?! You have to tell me h —_

The haze covered her world.

Her vision cleared after only a moment, leaving every detail crisper, sharper. She smirked, pulling Jinx flush against her and squeezing the round buttock under her hand. As she levitated them off the couch and into the bedroom, she laid rough kisses and nips along the pale neck and shoulder, leaving red marks that just made her even more impatient to take the thief in every way possible.

"Oh, _yesss_," Jinx hissed in pleasure. "I don't know what got you going, but I need to make sure it happens again." Her girlfriend pulled back to kiss her, but her eyes quickly cleared from their lusty glaze and all color drained from her cheeks. "R-Raven…"

Her grin gained a sinister edge as she threw the woman onto the bed, tenebrous shackles latching onto her limbs as they flailed about in an attempt to flee the predator before her. Raven dropped to the floor and sauntered closer to the supine figure, running a thin finger from the sole of her foot, up her leg and torso, and finally resting it on one perky nipple. She licked her lips at the emotions flavoring the air; fear and lust, a heady combination.

"C'mon, Jinx, it's okay. Just _relax_," she playfully mocked. Leaning down so her lips were only an inch from Jinx's ear, she whispered, "Not so easy now, is it?"

She raised herself to her full height, removing her hand as she phased out of her leotard and boots. Moving to the foot of the bed, she crawled onto it, looking at her girlfriend's heaving breasts and gaping mouth from between her legs. "Prepare to be blown away, my dear, sweet Nirupama." She bent her head down and extended her tongue, eliciting the first of the pinkette's many cries that night.

* * *

"Ugh." Jinx groaned as her eyelids creeped open before snapping closed again. _Well, that was definitely the most erotic nightmare I've ever had. If Raven has even __**half**__ that much stamina in real life, I'm gonna be a happy girl in the future._ She stretched, only to wince as her body protested any more exertion. How her body could be sore from a dream, she didn't know, nor did she really want to. _Of course, the whole bondage thing we did — or, to be honest, that she __**forced**__ me to do — isn't something I think I'd enjoy on a regular basis, even if she was positively purring at the time. Now if I could just get rid of my memories about her eyes and the tentacles… Oh, those fucking tentacles._

She grimaced at her unintentional pun and rolled over, careful not to jar her aching flesh more than necessary. A pillow was laying across the bed, likely knocked around while she was thrashing about in her dream, and she slid over to it and sank her head in a convenient depression. _I really need to replace these; pillows aren't supposed to have hard spots. They're not supposed to be warm or feel like skin, either._ She opened her eyes to see an expanse of pale gray. Leaning back revealed soft curves with small, darker nipples; fear gripping her heart, she raised her eyes to her girlfriend's sleeping face.

_It wasn't a nightmare. **Shit**._

Jinx was of two minds about what to do next. On the one hand, her girlfriend's appearance change was not a good sign for her continued health, nor Raven's, for that matter. The smart thing to do would be slip out of the building before the sorceress's 'guest' woke up and took control again; worst case scenario, Raven's soul could have already been spirited away. If that was the case, she would likely be its next victim.

On the other hand, her attraction — _who am I kidding, it's way beyond attraction _— to the woman wouldn't let her flee while there was still a chance for Raven to be saved. The Titan was far stronger and more knowledgable in magic than she, so if she was convincing enough, the whole problem could be solved right then and there. _There's no way I'm gonna leave her to fight it off by herself. I may have made a shit hero, but I won't abandon someone this important to me._

Since she couldn't run away but refused to tempt fate by waking the other woman, she settled for delicately poking around. She raised a hand and stroked Raven's eyebrows; other than looking and feeling a lot like eyelashes, there was nothing unusual about them. No matter how soft her touch, the sleeping woman still noticed and slowly opened her eyes.

"Dear Azar, what happened?"

"We're in bed together without a stitch of clothing between us; I don't think I need to explain." She chuckled at the shocked look she got, then returned her focus to her target. Her girlfriend was quick to pull her hand away, but made up for the rough treatment by softly kissing the inside of her wrist. Jinx could easily get used to the increased affection, but she wouldn't let it distract her from her goal. "I've got a question for you."

"Yes?"

"How many eyes do you have?" Raven may have tried to look curious, but there was a wariness there that didn't fill her with confidence. "'Cause I swear I counted four earlier."

Raven leapt from the bed to the wall, eyes wide with fear as the lamp on the other side of the room shattered. Her hope for an easy resolution vanished as she realized the Titan was fully aware of the consequences of her actions. She wasn't _that_ convincing. "Why, Raven? Why would you risk everything like that?"

The sorceress's face scrunched in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not an idiot; I know what I saw. Four red eyes can _only_ be from demonic influence." She groaned at Raven's wince, and a possible explanation sprang to mind. "It was to fight off your dad, wasn't it? You couldn't beat someone who had more experience with your powers, so you became a host for a demon who made you strong enough to kill him. But now it's so intrenched that it's manifesting without your permission, and soon it will try to take over and drag you back to its dimension. Not even _you_ can escape from there!"

"Jinx, contrary to your fears, I am in no danger. What you saw is not what you think."

"This isn't the time for acting like you're untouchable! There's no other way to explain it!"

"There is, though it is no better than your suggestion." Raven took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I am not possessed by a demon. I _am_ one."

Jinx's heart stopped. "W-what?"

"Well, _technically_ my father was one, making me merely half-demon," the dark heroine continued hesitantly. "Not that it matters much at the moment. I knew you would react badly, which is why I hadn't told you."

"How many people _have_ you told?" she whispered. Right now, she was unsure if she should be scared or angry, though she was leaning towards the second.

The Titan grimaced. "The Justice League, as I approached them after I first arrived in this dimension. My teammates also know; I did not wish to tell them, but when my father arrived with His army, I had no choice."

"When did that happen? I think I would remember a demon showing up with an…" She stopped, her eyes wide. "Army? The only demons that control _armies_ are the Demon Lords. Are you telling me that you're the daughter of a fucking _Demon Lord?"_

Raven weakly nodded and whispered a single, terrible word. "Trigon."

Yep, she was angry. "And you didn't think this was _maybe_ something you should have mentioned to me? Over the past two weeks, I thought we were getting closer. We shared our hopes, our fears, our deepest secrets, and yet you couldn't even tell me what your father is, what _you_ are?_ Am I the only one to see a problem here?!"_

"I was afraid!" Jinx swallowed the rest of her diatribe as the tears gathering in her girlfriend's eyes stabbed her in the heart. "Are you happy now? I was afraid that you would throw me away, just like everyone else has! Azarath did not want me, the citizens of Jump do not want me, not even my team wants me anymore!

"So yes, I withheld that information from you, and I had two reasons for doing so. First, it is, to be blunt, none of your damned business. You should base your opinions about me on my actions, not whose sperm was involved in my conception! Second, our friendship, and then our relationship, was not strong enough to survive you knowing. It did not matter how important we became to each other; I predicted that everything would be for naught should you ever discover the truth. Obviously, I was correct." Raven summoned her clothes to her and stomped towards the door.

_Of course she was worried I'd reject her; it's not like she knows anything else. And then, after all the time I spent telling her that I'm different from the Titans, I just __**had**__ to act like they do. Way to go, Jinx._ She rushed over and wrapped her arms around the lonely woman. "Wait. Just wait."

"Why? You have made your opinion on my continued presence _quite_ clear."

"No, what _we_ made clear is that we still need to work on our communication. You're right, this was your secret to tell, but you have to understand that you scared me last night. Scared me badly."

"I do not even remember what we did," Raven said in a much softer voice. "What frightened you?"

"Mostly it was the eyes, I think. Witches can't beat demons in a fight, but our magic makes us much more tempting to possess than normal people. As you can guess, one of the first things we're taught is to run away as fast as we can if we ever see four glowing slits like that. So last night, when your eyes changed and you pinned me to the bed so I couldn't escape…"

"You thought I was going to hurt you, perhaps even kill you then and there. The sex could have been simply mental torture or an indication I was possessed by a succubus."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about thinking that."

The sorceress sighed and turned around, dropping the clothes to the ground to hold her close. "There is nothing to apologize for. I should have recalled that fact, but it is not something I have ever had to worry about. Not only am I a sorceress, and therefore capable of handling at least minor demons, being a half-breed keeps me safe from becoming a target; since my soulself is entirely demonic, one could say that I am possessing myself."

"Lucky you," Jinx muttered without any real heat; maybe they were okay after all? She forced a grin and shuddered playfully. "Of course, the tentacles you whipped out later didn't help. I'm not a hentai chick, you know." Raven snorted at that, allowing her to relax at last. _Crisis averted_.

"I wish I could remember," Raven said wistfully.

"If you promise not to go all half-demon on my sore ass again and heal me up, I'd be willing to give you an encore." _We worked too hard for this to let it all go to waste. I'm falling in love with you, Raven, and I refuse to give you up now._

Raven opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. After a minute with her head cocked, she sighed. "I am an _idiot_." Stepping away from the thief, she murmured a phrase in an incredibly ancient language and shimmered briefly. Upon seeing the pinkette's confused expression, she explained, "It is a shape-lock spell. I have used it occasionally on Beast Boy when he was excessively aggravating, and it _should_ prevent me from changing to a demonic form for the next few hours."

"Well, only one way to find out," Jinx said slyly. "But this time, _I'm_ gonna be on top."

* * *

Raven's soulself dissipated, allowing her to see the bright blue circle aimed at her head. "I am unsure if I should be more irritated that you are prepared to shoot me, or that you are _in my room_."

Cyborg chuckled weakly as he deactivated his sonic cannon. "Sorry 'bout that; you just startled me. As for bein' here, we were worried that somethin' happened when you didn't answer your communicator, so I was pokin' around for any hint of where you disappeared to. Guys, she's back!" He shouted the last part out the open door, and a cacophony of pounding feet a minute later heralded the arrival of the other five Titans.

"About time, you've been gone for — whoa, Raven! Why the hell do you smell like sex?" Beast Boy exclaimed, pinching his nose.

She glared at him; Jinx had offered her use of the shower, but considering that the offer included a pink-haired back-scrubber, she would have been no cleaner exiting than she was entering. In hindsight, it appeared that it would have been a good idea, after all. "The obvious answer is that I have recently had intercourse. Now, all of you get out; I need to take a bath."

"Not so fast, Raven," Robin countered. "It's been over twelve hours since you disappeared, and you left us without any way to check up on you. Where were you and who were you with that you needed to be incommunicado for that long?"

"Excuse me? The identity of my partner is none of your concern. I do not ask for details of your nightly escapades with Starfire, do I?" He flushed and looked away, as if he honestly believed none of the others knew about that. A cyborg, a shapeshifter, and a half-demon lived there, too; all three of them knew far more about the couple's love life than they had ever wanted to know.

Beast Boy grabbed his head with a light moan. Wisdom's warning about the fragility of the memory modification flashed through her mind, but in the instant she prepared to defend herself, he had already returned to his previous position. Since he did not appear to recall anything, she addressed the team's leader again. "As for not clearing my plans with you, have you forgotten already that you suspended me? My time is my own; I have no responsibilities to the city or the team so long as this state of affairs continues."

"That's not what I meant when —"

"But it is the result," she cut in. "You told me to _'do whatever I need to do'_ with this time, correct? Well, this is what I need to do. Or did you mean for the Tower to become my _cage_?" He winced at that; obviously her jab at Operation Exorcist was on target. "Now, get out."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "You still haven't told us who you're doing!"

One eyebrow twitching, she wrapped the polymorph in soulself and flung him into the wall opposite her door. "Can the rest of you leave under your own power, or do you require assistance as well?"

Her teammates elected to depart voluntarily, but Robin hung back a moment. Looking at her with sad eyes, he asked, "What happened to you, Raven? We used to be able to trust each other."

"And perhaps we will in the future, if you can prove that you are again worthy of my trust."

* * *

**I blame Celestia GF of the Void and LilithRyoka for the content of the "nightmare". Direct all hate-mail to them.**

**I'm not happy with the argument in the middle scene. It sounds stilted, but it's the best I could come up with. Maybe I'll rewrite and replace it later, but for now…**

**Since I've given you so many cliffhangers recently, I decided to go easy on you this time. Don't get used to it, for next chapter is what you've all been waiting for since chapter 1. Ascension, here we come!**

**Silently Watches out.**


	18. The Ascension

**SepticMind:** Beast Boy's going to get his comeuppance, don't worry ; ) Robin showing _empathy_? Perish the thought!

**Celestia GF of the Void:** I thought you'd like that! : ) I didn't show their time together primarily because I can't write lemons worth a damn, but if you or anyone else wants to take a crack at it, please do so with my full blessing. It won't matter if any of them try to tail Raven; no one can follow teleportation.

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** Your thoughts on why Jinx let everything go as good a reason as any. About Starfire… I really just couldn't come up with anything for her to say : ( Raven doesn't use a codename _now_, just her name as I explained in chapter 4, and she won't bother with choosing one when she becomes a merc. Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo will be granted pardons, which means neither the Titans nor the JL will have just cause to come after them.

**Spikesagitta:** You're looking for literally BB/Robin bashing? Just wait for next chapter!

**Zaan229:** Let me dispel your misconception first. Twelve hours was the time Raven was gone from the Tower, _NOT_ the total time she and Jinx were doing the deed. Their schedule that night looked something like this: sex, sleep, argument, snack, sex, sleep, sex in the kitchen, snack, sleep… lots of short naps cuddling together slotted between their fun. Oh, I don't know, Jinx might gain an appreciation for tentacles… Robin's not just an asshole, he's a _stubborn_ asshole. Lisa, on the other hand, recognizes that Raven still doesn't trust her much, so she's going to keep her nose out of stuff that's obviously not her business.

**skywiseskychan:** Wow, I certainly wasn't expecting a review to practically every chapter! ; ) Last chapter really wasn't meant to be a cliffhanger, so I'm kinda sorta sorry about that. The reason I "blamed" Celestia and LilithRyoka is that the first kept asking me to bring back the tentacles from chapter 7 while the second sent me a PM suggesting that Jinx be surprised at Raven's stamina.

**Echo of an Idiot:** Since you mentioned how impatient you were, I am pleased to present you with the latest chapter! Jinx is fun, especially when she gets thrown completely out of her depth.

**Concolor44:** Jinx _really_ wants things to work out between her and Raven. If you think the end of _last_ chapter was a tease, you're going to hate me after this one!

**bookmaster4321, dangerverse, Dak Hamee, Deathnoteuser, discb, Google's Nemesis, HellzWrlck, Jknight3135, jtdarkman, nada129, Nemo's Nautilus, Ranmyaku Kiritsu, ReindeerEmu, ShadowCub, ShalimarMars, Stardust, Taeniaea, Techpriest of Tzeentch, The-Intensity, TUYET PHAM, TyrionGreywind, Umbra NightFall, VizeerLord, whitetigerwolf:** Thanks for the review.

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven ever reintegrate her emotions? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 18  
****The Ascension**

A swirl of shadows signaled Raven's return to Titan Tower. After the tranquility of the monastery she had been in for the past several hours, the pounding music emanating from the control room was an unwelcome tumult. If not for a question she desperately needed an answer to, she would avoid the chaos, but as it was…

She opened the door and entered.

The _'First Annual Titans Halloween Extravaganza'_, as Beast Boy and Cyborg had billed it, was in full swing. Starfire was singing karaoke on an impromptu stage, Robin and Speedy were playing darts while many of their compatriots bet money on who would come out ahead, Aqualad was serving drinks, and Beast Boy was sprinting among the clumps of people, introducing Lisa to everyone whose name he could remember. Practically every full-time and honorary Titan was in attendance; even Herald and Jericho were there, sitting in a corner and holding a silent conversation. _Interesting, I never would have guessed that Herald knew sign language_.

Hovering briefly to avoid Más y Menos as they wrestled on the ground for a can of soda, she gradually weaved her way to her target. "Bumblebee, do you mind if I steal Cyborg for a moment?"

"Nah, girl, he's all yours. Sparky needs a recharge anyway if he's gonna keep up with me on the dance floor!"

She dragged the sweating man towards the refreshment table. "Whew! Thanks, Rae. I swear, I don't know how she can keep goin' like that. We've been at it for almost two hours!"

"Practice, I suspect." She levitated a cup of punch to him and sat him in a chair. "I hope you can give me a favorable answer to my query."

His eyebrows shot up as her phrasing. "I don't think I like the sound of that. Okay, fire away." He braced himself against the edges of the chair and grinned when she narrowed her eyes playfully.

"It is nothing so dramatic. I simply wish to know if the safe room you constructed before Trigon's appearance is still operational. It was locked when I checked on it before visiting the children, and I need it for a spell I will be performing tomorrow."

This was the real reason she had elected to stay in the Tower after Robin's plan to capture her had come to light; it certainly was not due to any remaining loyalty to the Titans, after all. Five years she had given to the city, shedding immeasurable amounts of blood, sweat, and tears to defend it, yet her sacrifices were undone by a few instances of protecting herself? Her 'friendships' dispersed like an illusion? Her character besmirched? Jinx had made it clear she could do far better than this, and she completely agreed.

No, there was one thing keeping her here, and that would no longer be true when the sun set next. The panic room promised total isolation from outside influences; the primary lock could only be released from the inside while the runes Starfire had scribed on the walls created an impenetrable barrier to the magic of anyone other than the occupant. She could duplicate the magical barrier in another location, but the physical defenses were beyond her unless she resorted to a ward, which she was reluctant to do in this case. Though unravelling the ritual to divide her mind should be less complicated than its creation, she needed to control as many variables as possible, including interactions with other magics she had cast. There was no predicting what would happen should even a minor thing go wrong.

There was no possibility of her revealing her plan to Cyborg. He may be the only member of the team she still trusted, but he had already proven that he thought the best thing for her was continued membership with the Titans. She had promised to give the traitors another chance, and she had; that they squandered the opportunity was not her concern. She would Ascend, resign from the team, and join Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth. She would stop walking on eggshells just because of who she was. She would be _free_.

"Yeah, it's good to go," Cyborg replied, unaware of the dark thoughts running through her mind. "Passcode's just 1234. Robin wanted it kept tight in case we had another villain break in and they somehow found the room; if you can't guess, I think he was bein' overly paranoid again. On a more interestin' subject, how're your kids?"

Remembering the day brought a wide smile to her face. "They are doing well. Teether is a very precocious two year old, constantly getting into everything as he tries to act like a 'big kid'. It drives the monks absolutely mad. Timmy… well, let us just say I would not mind him living down to his name a bit less. Still, now that he realizes speaking in complete sentences is more productive than whining, he is more tolerable. Melvin turned eight today and has entered a 'sparkly phase', I suppose would be the best way to describe it. It makes it easy to shop for her presents, though I hope she finds another interest before her next birthday; it goes against my nature to purchase any clothing that is decorated with _glitter_."

Cyborg laughed from deep in his gut. "Somehow, I have no trouble seeing you buyin' something like that if it's for her, but I bet it got you some strange looks. She still have that giant invisible teddy bear?"

"Bobby, yes, but he is no longer alone. She has been developing her powers and now has a veritable menagerie of stuffed animals following her around at all times, all of which she was insistent on showing off to me. None of them are smaller than a grizzly bear, and I have a newfound sense of caution around rabbits." Especially since her personality had clearly influenced the girl, no matter how brief her visits; all of the recent additions were more than a touch macabre. The bright primary colors clashing with an overabundance of eyes and rough stitches in the creations' bodies left her somewhat unnerved, and she actually pitied the poor souls Melvin would fight in the future should she ever move away from the gentleness of children's toys.

"Sounds like you had a full day," he said with a smile. "Why don't you head on out and try to get some sleep. If you need the panic room for that spell, I doubt it's somethin' you should do when you're dead on your feet."

She shook her head. The ritual to split her psyche had taken eight monks working in perfect synchronization; undoing that was not a task she could treat flippantly. Unfortunately, she had taken only a few steps when she literally bumped into someone she would much rather avoid.

"Raven! No hug for your favorite speedster?"

"Kid Flash." Of all the people in the room, he was the _last_ one she wished to encounter. She had never been his greatest fan, and now she felt incredibly awkward in his presense. After all, she _was_ romantically engaged with his former girlfriend.

He did not seem to notice her disquiet. "Oh, come on, you can do better than that. Put some _feeling_ into it. Punch?" he asked as he vanished in a yellow streak, reappearing a moment later with a cup of the red liquid.

"No, thank you. I have somewhere else to be." She slipped passed him, only to find him once more blocking her steps. "Seriously, Kid, move out of my way."

"There's no need to be so grumpy; I'm just trying to be nice. We all know you're pining, but you shouldn't take it out on us."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Pining? That implies that I have affections for someone who has rejected me. I assure you, that is not the case."

"Look, Raven, it's okay. Everyone knows." He patted her arm fondly, though he stopped after her eyes narrowed. "Yeah, Beast Boy's moved on, but —"

"_Excuse me_?" she hissed. The edges of the world sharpened a touch, informing her that her eyes had shifted to a cruel vermilion. She ruthlessly shoved her anger down, though that did not stop the accelerator from backing away. "I do not, and never did, feel anything for Beast Boy other than annoyance, impatience, and occasional but reluctant camaraderie. I know not where you acquired this misconception, nor do I care, but I suggest you dispose of it at the next opportunity."

She shoved him from her path, yet she could not help hearing his muttered comment. "Don't know what he ever saw in her. No one deserves a girl with that big a stick up her ass." She clenched her fists and teleported directly to her room, ignoring the breach of etiquette involved.

Tomorrow could not come soon enough.

* * *

Cyborg turned to his friend, unease boiling away in his titanium chest for reasons he couldn't pin down. "You sure about this, Rae? I mean, if you go in there, none of us will be able to get to you if you need help."

"Yes, Cyborg, I am sure. Do not worry about me; I shall be perfectly safe." She nodded to Lisa as the girl came down the stairs. "Besides, I doubt it will take very long. A few hours, no more."

"Well, you're the expert." Before he could continue, the klaxon blared and he activated the communicator built into his left arm. "Rob, what's up?"

"_Doctor Light's robbing the bank on First and Redwood. Grab Lisa and meet us there."_

"She's with me already. Do you want Raven to come along, too?"

Raven shook her head even as Robin answered, _"No, she's still suspended. Besides, it's better if she sits this one out. She and Light don't get along at the __**best**__ of times, and I really don't want to put them together now considering how volatile she is. There's no telling what she'd do to him."_

"You do realize that _she_ is right here and can hear you quite clearly, correct?" Raven snarled. She turned and entered the room; the door whirred closed with a sense of finality.

He looked down at Robin's chagrined face. "Man, you really need to work on keepin' your mouth shut. There's no need to piss her off every chance you get; that's BB's schtick."

"_Just get to the bank."_

With a disappointed nod of his head, he motioned for Lisa to follow and made his way to the T-Car. The teen was still building up her endurance with her powers, and while she could ride her rocks, the south end of the city was too far for her to go without a break. They buckled in and took off, practically flying through the subterranean tunnel and emerging from beneath an abandoned pier off the mainland.

"Um, Cy?" Lisa asked nervously. "It's probably none of my business, but what's up between Robin and Raven? There are times I almost expect them to start throwing punches right in the middle of the living room."

He sighed; the two teammates had long since stopped being discreet about their antipathy. "Robin's upset that she's more aggressive when we fight than we're used to. I can kinda understand where he's comin' from — she can be downright terrifyin' when she wants — but every time he tries to talk her down, he goes about it the exact wrong way and makes her even madder. Raven… I don't know what her deal is, to be honest. She's just had a short fuse the last few months. Something's on her mind, but what it is…"

"You haven't asked her?"

"We learned _real_ quick not to bug her about personal stuff. Sufferin' the wrath of the crown princess of Hell once was more than enough."

She twisted around in her seat to face him fully. "I'd think ignoring her would just piss her off even more, but you know her better than I do. Do you have an idea why she was glaring at everyone especially harsh this morning?"

"Was she? She's not a mornin' person, so we're used to her glares, and I can't think of —" He cut himself off as his cybernetic brain pulled up the information he was missing. "Dammit."

"What?"

"It's her birthday."

"You guys have been friends for five years, and you _forgot_ that it's her _birthday_?"

He flushed in shame as she stared at him disbelievingly. "It's not what you think. Rae never celebrates her birthday; we didn't even know when it was until a couple of years ago."

"Well, that explains why she's so mad at all of you. I mean, if you couldn't even think to ask her something _that_ _basic_, who knows what else you've done to offend her," Lisa huffed, turning to gaze out the window. He winced, acknowledging her point. There was probably a lot they had messed up on, but they'd start making it up to Raven as soon as they got back.

* * *

Jinx looked critically at the list of everything they needed for Raven's Ascension party. "Okay… Gizmo, did you get the cake and sodas?"

"Yeah, right here. She likes chocolate, right?"

"No idea." She examined the four layer monstrosity, figuring that Baran would probably eat half of it by himself. "I don't think she really cares, though. She said she doesn't eat often, but when she does, she'll accept whatever you put in front of her. Baran, what did you grab from the supermarket?"

He frowned and rummaged through the enormous box he had carried in. "Uh, pizza, those frozen dinners you wanted, a gallon of guacamole, ten bags of chips, a few racks of beef —"

"Seriously? You've told me this already, Jinx, but why the hell do we need this much food? You planning on inviting her entire team or something?"

"Her people have huge feasts during their celebrations," she said, making another mark on her mental tally board. He asked her every time he got a glimpse of how much they were supposed to get, and this was the ninth time she had explained it. "Since she can't go back there for her birthday, we're gonna make her feel at home. Besides, you know who's gonna get most of it." She motioned to the giant man, who was emptying the box onto the table.

"I've got chili on the stove and ice cream in the freezer, so I better wrap her presents before I do anything else." Raven had mentioned that she would be changing her uniform after today, so Jinx 'acquired' several different outfits that were similar enough to her leotard for her to feel comfortable while still letting her find a new look she liked. "You guys throw the cow on the grill. We've only got a couple of hours until she's supposed to be here, and I want this party to be _perfect_."

* * *

Raven sighed as the door of the safe room snapped shut. This was the last time she would be in the Tower, the last day she would be a Titan. She would miss it, she realized; even with the strife dividing them now, their first years together were the happiest of her life. Those recollections could not stop her, though, not when she had a chance to join a new team, one that had already shown they cared more for her as an individual than the Titans ever did. Her future lay outside of her former friends.

The spell did not require nearly as long as she had told Cyborg. It would take minutes at most, and the additional time she would use to transfer her belongings temporarily to a storage unit she had leased under the name Miranda Byrd, yet another of her unknown aliases. She also had to remove her personal information from the computer system, delete the blueprints for Operation Exorcist, locate the backup server and do the same there… She _needed_ those hours if she were to be truly free.

She swept her magic through the room to verify that the glyphs upon the walls were functioning properly, then she settled herself in the middle of the circle she had earlier drawn in salt. Eight candles spaced around her flared to sudden life as her powers reached out, magic and soulself mixing in the astral plane. "Metrion Et Inferlim… Gost Wenthen Mentis Nex… Ind Tenboscus, Bis Pendrule… Paran Sic Cortis Rex!"

Darkness rushed from her hands before coalescing into seven large black orbs, and she smiled as the shapes stretched into human silhouettes. If only the dragon Malchior, who had created the original spell, could see how she was using it now. The shadowy auras flaked away, leaving her emotions standing in the real world for the first time.

"Well, that was certainly surprising," Wisdom said, adjusting the glasses perched on her nose. "I honestly did not expect the spell to work."

Impudence snorted at that while scratching under her arm. "I said it'd be fine, didn't I? It's magic, Wizzy, and I'm the sorceress of the bunch."

"I don't like it; we were just fine separate. Besides, if the idea came from _her_, it's nothing I want a part of." Joy sneered at Rage, the first time Raven had ever seen the pink-cloaked doppleganger use that particular expression.

She moved between the two emotions before Rage could escalate the situation any further. "I know we were never close, but can you not see the benefits to this? You will be free, no longer confined to your prairie. You can see the outside world! Did you not tell me recently that you wanted to experience that?"

"I said I wouldn't mind it, but I don't trust her." Joy pointed at Rage. "I don't know what she's doing, but I can tell she's lying about something."

"How is she lying? She is simply standing there."

"That's the only way I can explain it. Her very presence is a lie."

She reached out and grasped the emotion's hands. "Joy, _please_. You agreeing to the merge would make me happier than I have ever been."

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing," Joy said, but she lowered her head and squeezed Raven's hands. "Fine, I'll do it, but you better not expect me to do you any favors afterwards. And you have to go to an amusement park in return; that's non-negotiable."

Raven nodded and, despite her personal preferences, pulled the emotion into a brief hug. "Thank you. Rage, Wisdom, what more must we do to complete the spell?"

"The hard part is finished; after bringing us into the physical word, the rest of this should be fairly simple. It is just a matter of us collapsing back into thought and blending into your basal mind rather than carving out niches from your consciousness."

"Just one thing," Rage interjected. "Since doing this is meant to also fuse our demonic and human aspects, it might be better if we perform the melding in two steps: the first turning the eight of us into two, and then Raven and I merging together as two halves becoming a single whole. This should create a stronger sympathetic entanglement."

"That makes sense," commented Raven. "How should we divide ourselves?"

Rage tapped her chin in thought. "Perhaps the 'lighter' emotions with you and the 'darker' ones with me? That would mean I'm with Courage, Fear, and Impudence."

Considering the various combinations, Raven had to admit that Rage's suggestion was likely the most viable one. Joy would not merge with Rage, Wisdom would rather stay apart from Impudence, and Courage was often antagonistic with both Love and Joy. "Very well. Joy, Love, Wisdom, are you three ready?"

"I believe so," Love affirmed. "Give Jinx a good long kiss for me, will you?"

She laughed lightly and nodded. "Any last requests from you, Wisdom?" The spectacled woman shook her head as the three took places around her, mirroring the triangular arrangement surrounding Rage. The six emotions shone with an inner light, and yellow, pink, and purple rushed into her.

Raven staggered backwards and fell on her knees, slightly jealous of Rage's ability to remain standing. A brief surge of pain washed through her before she could return to her feet. _Strange, I do not feel different. Merging with my emotions, even if only half of them, should have produced a noticeable change in my personality._ She looked at Rage and frowned; now that her empathy was strengthened, she could understand Joy's reservations better. The taste of sour grapes she associated with deceit wafted off her demonic half like a too-heavily applied perfume.

The emotion's voice interrupted her musings. "That was certainly a surprise. You ready for round two?" She did not like the wide grin her other half sported but took the offered hand.

Rage slammed her into a wall.

"You're even more of an idiot than I presumed," the demon purred wickedly. Raven clawed at the taloned hand pinning her neck to the wall as she gazed at her counterpart's shifting appearance. Twin black horns swept around her head like a crown, vertical spines only reinforcing the similarity. Her hair was snow white, mirroring Trigon's, and fell almost to her knees. Her skin was red as blood. Most unnerving, though, was the Mark of Scath glowing proudly on her forehead. The unholy delight glittering in her four red eyes was practically expected at this point.

"Why are you doing this?" Raven asked breathlessly. "You said that harming me would only harm you in return."

"I _lied!_ I can block your empathy; maybe now you wish you had taken that peppy bitch a little more seriously." Rage tightened the grip around her throat, smirking at her increasingly harsh gasps.

"W-what are y-y-y —"

"What am I going to do now? I'll kill you, of course, and then walk right out of here. Fear's materialization will let me stay corporeal even after the spell ends; why do you think I wanted to merge with half of your emotions in the first place? I have your durability, your sorcery, and a way to survive outside your mind. I don't need you anymore."

Rage picked up her next thought and cackled. "You honestly wonder why I'm doing this? I am continuing where Father left off in His conquest of this pitiful dimension. I have His powers, after all, so it won't be that difficult. You are the only obstacle in my way; if I left you alive, you would stop me. No, it's better that you die here and now. What is it that the Mafia says, _'it's not personal, it's just business'_? The same idea applies here." She paused and pursed her lips. "Actually, on second thought, this _is_ personal. Consider it payback for keeping me chained up all those years."

Raven's vision was dimming, the lack of oxygen dragging her into unconsciousness. She fought with all her strength to stay awake; if she surrendered, she would die. Darkness gathered in one hand, but Rage ripped her wrist open with sharpened claws and broke her focus. Blood ran down her hand like a river, and though she strained, she could not concentrate her power with the tendons to her fingers severed.

"Did you really just try to turn my own powers against me?! I'm the source of your soulself; now that I'm released, you're just a weak, _pathetic_ human!"

_How I wish that was another lie! _Unfortunately, it was not; Wisdom had confirmed months ago that each of her emotions held one of her abilities. She could not see any way out of this. Rage would kill her and escape. Earth only survived Trigon because she had turned against Him; without someone capable of withstanding dramatic dimensional shifts and destroying a Demon Lord in all but name, the world was doomed. _**Why**__ did I ever agree to this thrice-damned spell?_

Raven's eyes had been fluttering closed, but now they shot open. _The spell! I still have control of it, but that should be impossible! Impudence is the emotion that possesses my magic. She is now part of Rage, though, so how…?_ Memories whirled through her mind and aligned themselves, leaving only a single possible explanation. She chuckled mirthlessly as soulself shot from her skin, breaking Rage's vise-like grip and wrapping around the crimson emotion. Now free, she gripped her damaged wrist and sheathed it in a blue healing glow. The tables had turned. "I am you, you are me. Is this not what you told me once upon a time?"

"How? These are my powers!"

"Yes… and no. Your ego is so large that it blinds you to the truth. You can use these abilities because _I_ can use them, not the other way around. For all your pride, for all your strength, you are no demon, nor are you an independent entity lurking in the depths of my mind. No, you are instead a facet of my personality, one I refused to accept and unintentionally gave a metaphysical form so that I might further deny my own nature. Your words when you tried to influence me were how I truly felt, though I did not wish to believe them at the time. Even now, seeking your independence, you are proving me correct, for is this not what I have been doing myself? You. Are. Me.

"The months before the Ascension is a period of reflection and acceptance, a time to cast off the comfortable lies from childhood and replace them with cold reality. My Ascension is complete; for the first time in my life, I look myself in the mirror and see the truth. I am not human, I never was human, and I never will be human. I was shattered in an attempt to make it so, but now I am whole. I am a demonling, the child of a Demon Lord. I am the vanquisher of my father and the heir to His throne. I am free of the shackles of duty, be it to man or demon. I will do what I wish, following my heart and my mind. None shall cage me again, for I will not permit it. I am Raven, daughter of Trigon and Arella, Gem of Scath and the last Azarathian!

"Now, Rage, you see your great mistake. You never should have conceived of this plan, nor given me cause to rip off my blindfold. I have the power, not you, and I will not be defeated by a pale shadow of myself. I thank you for the assistance in coming to terms with who I am, but your task is done. It is time for you to sleep and become one with me as we were so long ago."

"One with you? Never! I am Rage! I'll kill you and make this place your fucking tomb!"

A black shockwave ripped the door of the safe room from its setting, along with large chunks of the wall, and demolished the hallway beyond. At the same time, a pulse of magic shorted out the electrical systems. The Tower was plunged into darkness.

And crimson eyes opened.

* * *

**Evil? Why, yes I am : )**

**Next chapter is the last of this story, and then I'll take a couple months' break before starting the sequel. I won't write a story without at least a minimal plot planned out, but all I have at the moment is some vague ideas and a few short scenes.**

**Silently Watches out.**


	19. New Beginnings

**Ranmyaku Kiritsu:** Here, I'll make it up to you! Rage lost because Raven refused to fight fair and instead used the spell to force the final merge.

**InsanitySorrow 2.0:** Raven changed in many ways, including physically. I've never read the comics, though, so she'll stay at her present height. Remember, she's just a half-inch or so shorter than Jinx; they're the perfect cuddling size for each other. There will be a time-skip of five years. I know nothing about Ravager, so I doubt I'll bring her or Batgirl in.

**Techpriest of Tzeentch:** Why, I was very nearly offended by that! ; )

**DragoLord19D:** Not exactly…

**SepticMind:** I know, I probably use them too much, but you have to admit that was the perfect place to end the chapter. Just be glad I didn't end _this_ one on a cliffhanger; I was certainly tempted to. ; P Raven won't be _evil_, per se, but she's not going to take flak from anyone, and her retaliations might become a bit excessive. My only problem with Kid Flash is that he can get a little tedious to listen to (well, that and being paired with Jinx, but as you said, not really his fault). Nah, he wouldn't care about Raven and Jinx being together beyond asking if he could join them for a night : )

**skywiseskychan:** The start of last chapter certainly wasn't meant to be jarring. From Raven's perspective, the conversation with Robin was over the instant she shut the door; her sentence about proving he was still trustworthy was basically an ultimatum. The reason I had the emotions materialize was twofold: it made sense to me that they would have to leave her mind to return in a different way, and Rage knew there was no way to win their fight in Nevermore. Inside her mind and against fragments of her personality, Raven is invincible, so the only way for them to be on equal footing was for Rage to come to the real world. Yes, Raven will be somewhat more demonic, but she will also be more human. She can now experience the full range of her emotions, so while it won't be a good thing to piss her off, she isn't going to be some wrathful goddess.

**Spikesagitta:** Keep reading and see…

**HellzWrlck:** Raven was _always_ a demonling (I heard this term for a half-demon somewhere), but only now does she _accept_ that aspect of herself.

**Echo of an Idiot:** Sorry 'bout that : ) I wasn't really bashing KF, just showing that other people besides her teammates don't know her well. The argument between Raven and Rage was over last chapter.

**Black Fang 02, bookmaster4321, Concolor44, Deathnoteuser, discb, Drenn, jtdarkman, kamooi, Korraganitar the NightShadow, lordamnesia, Madd Robot, nada129, Nightraze, Nyckole Heart, Quladi, rest for the wicked, Shizuku, Taeniaea, The-Intensity, tick-toc-tick, TUYET PHAM, VileScann, VizeerLord, whitetigerwolf:** Thanks for the review.

**Merry Christmas! For your collective present, I give you the extra-long final chapter of **_**Coincidence and Misunderstandings**_**. Don't be too sad, though; hopefully in a month or so, you'll get to see the first posting of the sequel, tentatively titled **_**Consequence of Misunderstandings**_**. There will be a note added to this story when it's ready for consumption.**

**Disclaimer:** Did Raven transfer to a team that was more accepting than the Titans? If not, I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; it belongs to DC Entertainment, Glen Murakami, and Warner Bros.

* * *

**Chapter 19  
****New Beginnings**

Cyborg would have liked to say that taking cover behind an overturned car was a strategic decision. Unfortunately, it wasn't; that was just where Doctor Light's blast sent him. "Ugh, this isn't turnin' out how I hoped," he muttered, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"It isn't? Well then, let me _brighten _your outlook!" Another yellow beam flew at him, and he just barely got out of the way before it blew through the vehicle. "Surely this is not all the mighty Teen Titans can bring to bear!"

In reply, a bronze disc hit the ground at his feet and detonated; now it was the good doctor who was airborne and crashing into the ground. "Newsflash, Doctor Light: we dropped the 'Teen' from our name a year ago." Robin extended his staff and pulled a trio of birdarangs from a hip pouch. "You'll have plenty of time to catch up on recent events in prison."

"And until then, you can take a dirt nap!" Light looked up just in time to spot the ton of crushed rock falling on him.

Lisa's pun caused the mechanical man to break out in a smile. _That girl is somethin' else. With us for three weeks, and she's already throwin' out puns._ His evaluation was cut short as the mound of soil was blown apart; a yellow dome faded away, leaving Light unharmed.

"Fools! You no longer have the power to stop me. I have been given a gift, a gift meant for destroying you!" Light twisted a dial on his belt, and Cyborg watched in shock as the faint glow from the villain's emitters shifted up the visible spectrum, finally settling on a bright blue. "No one can withstand the power of Doctor Light!"

The blasts now raining on the team were larger, faster, and deadlier; each time one hit the street or a building, it exploded and left a foot-wide crater. Lisa threw up a wall of earth to protect the two of them while the others flew or grappled their way to the rooftops. "I thought you said he was a small-fry!" she shouted over the deafening booms.

"He was the last time we saw him!"

"Well, you need to keep your info up to date! That or let me know when _'annoying but not a big deal'_ means he's going to kick our asses!"

"He shouldn't be!" Cyborg racked his cybernetic brain for a solution. "The only time he was anywhere near this powerful, he was suckin' up the Northern Lights. I don't know how he could've gotten this strong all of a sudden."

She pulled more concrete and asphalt towards them to reinforce her failing barricade. "Maybe he ordered a freaking do-it-yourself upgrade kit off the internet! It doesn't matter how he did it, just how we're gonna get outta this."

Her words latched onto some half-forgotten details from their recent fights and pulled them closer together. _Light got an boost, but he's not the only one. Rancid's dogs were tougher, too, and Control Freak's remote had a bigger range and was animatin' more complicated stuff. Then there's the white monster; before, it could only take on the properties of a single material, but a few days ago it was mixin' 'em up on us. Even Mumbo was workin' us harder until Raven put him down. About the only one who hadn't been hittin' the gym was Plasmus, and he was just plain nuts._

His eyes widened. _A gift, that's what Light said._ "Son of a bitch."

"Huh?"

He ignored her and used the communicator in his arm to call Robin. "Rob, we need to call Raven in here, now!"

"_What? Why?"_

"'Cause I think the bad guys have been gettin' some serious help. That's why we've been havin' so much trouble lately." He nodded at the leader's shocked expression. "We need to interrogate Light bad, and let's face it, Raven's the only one who's ever made him back down without too much of a hassle."

Robin frowned but nodded. _"You're right; we need whatever information he's hiding. I'll give her a call —"_

"Bad idea! _I_ will talk to her. I haven't pissed her off already, but if you try to get her, she's probably goin' to hang up on you."

"_Fine,"_ the Boy Wonder groaned. _"Star, Beast Boy, and I will keep him busy. Lisa?"_

"Yeah?"

"_You cover Cy. I doubt we'll need to wait long for Raven to arrive, but better safe than sorry."_

Cyborg nodded and switched channels. Several seconds passed, which extended to a full minute; by this point, he was getting worried. _C'mon Rae, pick up already. Please tell me you took the comm with you into the safe room._ Finally, just as he was about to hang up, the black screen displayed a still image of her. _"What is it?"_

"Rae, thank goodness. I'm sorry for interruptin' your work, but we need you over here about five minutes ago. Light's just plain embarrassin' us."

"_Are you saying that __**Doctor Light**__ has the upper hand?"_ He could hear her laughing at him over the audio channel, and he felt his cheeks heat up. _"That is quite disappointing. Let me guess, now you need me to clean up your mess? Is my replacement not pulling her weight?"_

"Hey, now!" Lisa shouted. "I'm pulling all my weight and then some. And I'm not your replacement! I thought we talked about that." Her voice faltered at the end, and the wall weakened as her insecurities raised their ugly heads.

"_We did,"_ Raven said simply. _"However, what you intend and what Richard intends are very different things. In his mind, you are to take over my duties so that he may finally wash his hands of me."_

"Well, tell him off yourself," he grunted. Another blue blast hit, this time breaking a large chunk off the edge. With his right arm, the one not containing his communicator, he returned fire with his cannon. "He's right here, after all, and he's all yours after you bring Light down."

"_If I must. I suppose it would only be courteous of me to deliver my message in person."_ On that cryptic note, she cut off her communicator.

"How long until she's here?"

He shrugged. "Knowin' her? Should be just a second or two, but she sounds pretty pissed. Now would be a bad time for her to make us sweat it out." A shadow fell over them, and they looked up to see an enormous black form in the rough shape of a bird touching down on the ground in front of them. The darkness faded, revealing their teammate.

Cyborg could only stare at Raven's new appearance. Her hood was down and showed her hair to be longer, falling to the level of her elbows. Her nails were thick, curved, and black; if he didn't know better, he'd think she had grown claws. Down her white legs ran deep red tattoos that he could swear were perfect matches to the glowing design she had borne when Trigon and Slade were causing problems. What worried him, though, was that the garnet on her forehead had changed shape, stretching and curling to become the jagged symbol the Titans had come to loathe.

The Mark of Scath.

* * *

"Well? Where is the reprobate?" A blue sphere flashed in front of Raven after tearing through Lisa's wall. "Never mind."

"Rae?" Cyborg whispered. "What happened to you?"

She shrugged. "I grew up. According to Azarathian culture, today I become a full-fledged adult, and my appearance altered to reflect that. Do you not like it?" Though these physical changes were not what she would have chosen before the merge with her emotions, she found she was overall comfortable with her look. The markings were somewhat disconcerting, but they would ensure the Titans realized she was a whole new Raven.

"It's way cool, especially the tats!" Lisa said with a wave. "Happy birthday, by the way. I'd have gotten you a present, but no one even told me that it was a special day until we were already on the road."

"I appreciate the thought. If you will excuse me, though, I need to deal with Doctor Light before we can continue our conversation." She turned away and, raising a shield, strode toward her foe. Already she could tell how much stronger her powers were; where her barriers had collapsed after a few hits the last time she had faced this villain, now the construct was not even wavering. "Doctor Light! I am feeling generous, so you have one chance to surrender peacefully before I become… _aggressive_. I advise you take my offer."

"You think you can defeat me? Darkness can never hide the brilliance of light!" He fired a continuous beam, but not even that could crumple her defense.

She nodded. "Your choice." Feeding more soulself into the shield and marveling at the ease with which she did so, she altered it into a beam of her own. Blue and black fought for dominance for only a second before her powers overwhelmed his. She frowned lightly as she walked closer to the man lying on the street, sparks jumping fitfully from his equipment. Dealing with this weak of an enemy had always been tedious, and she was tired of it. Her cloak lengthened with a thought and draped itself over the moaning figure; when she retracted it, Doctor Light was nowhere to be found. "However, I personally think that it was a poor one."

Robin leapt down to the road a short distance away from her. "Raven, where is Light?"

"Somewhere he cannot hurt another soul. Somewhere cold, and dark, and lonely. He is safe there, at least as safe as one can be in the void of an unformed dimension."

"Release him!"

"Why?" She turned to glower at her former leader. "So that he can be sent to prison, _again_, only to escape and cause havoc later? No, it is time for a more permanent solution. Perhaps his fate will serve as a warning to the rest of the villains who habitually prey on the citizens of this city. Actions have consequences, no matter who one is."

"Uh, not to pull you off your soapbox, but we kinda needed to interrogate him. I was hopin' he'd be able to tell us where he got the new tech," Cyborg interjected sheepishly.

She blanched and offered a whispered, "Oops?" Waving a hand, she created a portal of whirling shadows in the air that led to her mental world. Doctor Light landed on the ground, his suit corroded and his eyes staring ahead unfocused. "I am afraid he is in no state to answer any questions, now or ever."

Robin stared at the brain-dead body in honeyed horror. "What did you do to him, Raven?"

"Nothing." The Boy Wonder's glare was joined by Starfire's and Beast Boy's, but she shrugged, unconcerned with their disapproval. "Every time I teleported you somewhere, I protected your minds from the full power of my soulself; _this_ is what would have happened had I not. As I said, I did nothing to him, for I did not need to."

"Raven, you must return the Doctor of Light to normal. To damage another's mind like this is wrong," Starfire demanded. The alien's emotions were primarily fear and confusion, but salty anger was rapidly overtaking them.

"He is beyond all aid. As for the morality of my actions, perhaps for your race that is true. I, however, am not from Tamaran. His actions were he Azarathian would have earned him behavioral modification long ago, and to my father's people, leaving him alive at all is a grand mercy."

Robin scowled at her words. "Yes, and Trigon was pure evil, or have you forgotten that?"

"Of course I remember how He was. Unlike the rest of you, I interacted with Him for more than a single day." She eyed Robin balefully. "However, no degree of decrying Him will change the fact that His blood runs through my veins. My powers, my physiology, my mental processes; they are all due at least in part to my demonic heritage. What benefit does denying that grant me?"

Before Robin could answer, Beast Boy grabbed the sides of his head and screamed. He fell to his knees panting, then raised his head to glare at her. "You complete and total bitch! You scrambled my brain!"

"What?" Robin asked.

"She messed with my head! She didn't want me to tell the rest of you that she's been banging Jinx behind our backs. That's why she's turned bad, so she can be a criminal, too!"

The leader of the Titans extended his staff and ground out, "Is this true, Raven?"

"Not at all. Jinx and I were not yet romantically involved when I altered his memories."

Her wry quip caused his stance to falter in shock, an emotion that was projected from the rest of the team as well. It only lasted an instant, though, and when he prepared himself again, fire burned in his eyes. "I can't allow this to go on, Raven. You've left us no choice but to bring you down."

"And what do you plan to do to me once I am in your custody? Throw me into a cage you had Zatanna enchant? Bind my powers? Banish me like a common demon? Oh yes," she said to his paling face, "I know all about Operation Exorcist. What I find interesting is that you made these plans approximately six months ago, long before my behavior started changing. No matter what my actions were or how you chastised me for them, you always intended to do away with me."

The silence following her words allowed them to clearly hear Cyborg's incredulous whisper. "She's tellin' the truth, isn't she? Robin, what the hell were you thinkin'?"

"He was thinking that I could not be trusted due to who my parents were, the same position the people of Azarath took when they exiled me to this world. Unlike —"

"Exiled? What are you talkin' about? Why didn't you tell us?"

"You never asked. There are many things about me that no one ever showed an interest in, so you do not know them. After five years, I am still a virtual stranger to you, and now this stranger will take her leave. I bid you farewell."

"Now wait just a second!" A green tiger pounced at her, only for a shield to spring up and rebound him to her side opposite Robin. The shapeshifter returned to his base form and shouted, "There's still what you did to me! You don't even feel sorry for it, do you?!"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Why should I? You stuck your nose in where it did not belong, interfered in my affairs, and attempted to blackmail me. Anyone with common sense would know I would not take that well. Be glad that I restrained myself from doing something worse."

Her words did not pacify him, and she noted that Robin was also set to attack her. "You plan to fight me? You, too, Starfire," she added when the princess hovered in front of her.

"You have done evil and harmed my friend. For this, I can not forgive you. Please come peacefully with us so we do not have to hurt you."

"As you wish," she said, then looked to the remaining spectators. "Cyborg, Lisa, will you be joining the fray as well?"

Lisa glanced at each of them. "Um, I'm not entirely sure what's going on."

"It's really come down to this." Cyborg covered his face with his hand and sighed. "Raven, I can understand why you did what you did, but that was definitely the wrong way to go about it. Robin, if you've been plannin' this for as long as she says you have, there's no way I'm gonna side with you. You made the first move against her, BB, so you can't get mad when she slaps you down for it. I'm not even sure what she did was all that excessive considerin' you wanted to blackmail her. Star, she didn't hurt him, and while I don't agree with her actions on a personal level, there're no laws against it. _All_ of you are in the wrong, and I refuse to get in the middle of this."

Raven bowed her head in acceptance of his neutrality. "So three against one. Are you still firm in your decisions?"

"Give it up, Raven. We've been fighting alongside you for years; we know all your strengths and weaknesses. You can't win this fight."

She smirked at Robin's naïveté and pulled her hood over her head. Her opponents' gasps were no surprise; she had done the same when a mirror showed her the change. While in shadow, each amethyst eye was replaced with a pair of vermilion slits. She encased her hands in black, thick tendrils of darkness stretching from under her cloak. "I believe I have already informed you that you do not know me as well as you think you do."

The three Titans struck, moving forward to deny her the range she preferred, but it was for naught. Raven raised a dome of soulself that repelled their attacks. They saw her lips moving, and the shield grew completely opaque. "Don't let up. Hit her hard!" Robin called out; a car coated in black did just that to him.

Starfire and Beast Boy stared at their leader poorly imitating his namesake, then they looked to Raven hovering in mid-air. She snapped her fingers and let the illusion she used to hold their attention fade. "Shall we continue our play?"

A hawk and an angry alien rose to her taunt, Starfire flinging orbs of energy at her that she deflected with Beast Boy repeatedly attempting to gouge her with his talons. As a team they had spent a great deal of time improving their teamwork, and it showed; though the shapeshifter was limited to guerrilla tactics, he was an excellent distraction from the true aerial threat. Raven had been restricting herself to whips of shadow — damaging, but not dangerous — in honor of their years together, but now the duo were beginning to irritate her. It was time they had a better glimpse of exactly who they were dealing with.

Recalling one of the tricks her father had taught Slade, she formed a concave shield and caught the starbolt hurtling her way; compressing it to the size of her fist, she then slammed it into Beast Boy's side on his next pass. He returned to his base form as he fell, crashing into the roof of the building they were flying over. A — by necessity — cursory glance revealed that she had shattered the humerus of his left arm, and his fall had likely cracked several of his ribs.

"You… you… _grzzt'glog_! Betrayer!" Starfire screamed a harsh warcry as she raced at the demonling. Raven flew faster, putting distance between them, but not out of fear. No, she would simply rather not chance being caught in her own spell.

"Penitens Bocrili, Aelita Cytoros." Her words reverberated in the fabric of reality. With a deceptively sedate _pop_, the sky in a ten-foot radius from Starfire imploded. The shockwave spun the Tamaranean like a top, but what finally stopped her charge was the invisible wall she smacked into.

Raven floated over at a relaxed pace, inspecting the conjured prison for any weak points. Bars of white light outlined a cube six feet to a side, and the impossibly dense air they bracketed would isolate Starfire for a short time, perhaps an hour. That was enough for her needs. "Had you been reasonable, I would have happily departed without this conflict."

"Lies," hissed Starfire, her voice unhindered by the spell. "We never should have trusted you. You are a demon, no different than Trigon. Until my family is forgotten, I name you enemy."

Frowning at the princess's uncharacteristic attitude, Raven seated herself in midair. "While I cannot fault you for your hatred of demons, I am curious about it. My father never visited Tamaran so far as I know, yet you stated once that you have heard of His atrocities. With which demons did your world traffic?"

"I will not cheapen _The Tragedy of Juderik_ by sharing it with a _grzzt'glog_." The alien spun away from her in a clear refusal of further communication.

She sighed and dropped to the ground, uncrossing her legs to stand. Robin was still lying on the street, the car she used to hit him having bent and partially melted to pin him without crushing his body. "It seems a peaceful break was too much to expect."

"Are you really surprised?" he growled. "Did you think we would smile and nod when you became a criminal?"

"Criminal? If that is what I am, it should be easy for you to name just one crime I have committed." _And you clearly know none of them, else this battle would have occurred before now_.

He gaped for a moment. "You destroyed Doctor Light's mind not five minutes ago."

"Which was done as a member of the Titans, and therefore no more a crime than any other injuries we have inflicted in battle."

"You assaulted us."

"No, I _defended_ myself against assault. You three attacked first, and you did so without a warrant or clear and present evidence that I was breaking the law. Anything else?" She sighed as he continued to glare. "Obviously not. I will be gone from this city by the end of the week at the latest, and I highly doubt I will return, but if I may give you some advice? You will be far more tolerable once you learn that you are not the paragon of virtue or infallible moral compass you seem to think you are. Consider this my resignation from the Titans, effective immediately."

She turned and walked closer to Cyborg and Lisa, removing her hood and returning her eyes to normal. "I do believe this is where we part."

"I'm gonna miss you," the geokinetic whimpered as she latched onto the sorceress. "Keep in touch, okay? I don't wanna lose a friend I just made."

"Friend? We have only known each other for two weeks."

Lisa looked down at her, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "Time doesn't make a friendship. Cyborg's told me some of what I did as Terra. I don't deserve the second chance you offered, and you definitely didn't have to work with me on controlling my powers better like you did. No, you're my friend, whether you like it or not."

Remembering how Love had said something similar about Jinx, she smiled sadly and returned the hug. "I promise nothing, but I will _try_ to maintain contact. There will likely be some delay, however."

"Don't care."

Raven stepped away and addressed Cyborg. "I gave them another opportunity, just as you asked."

"I know," he sighed. "So you're gonna join Jinx as a thief?"

"No, actually. She, Mammoth, and Gizmo are working to leave their pasts as criminals behind, and I shall help them do so. It is unlikely that you will hear word of us again without actively searching for it."

"All right. I just wish you didn't have to leave," he said, pulling her into a hug of his own.

"It is probably for the best. I have grown tired of playing the hero; a change of career is exactly what I need. Maybe I can find something I _enjoy_ doing, rather than something I merely feel obligated to do." She walked a few yards from them, darkness already creeping up her body. There was so much more to say, but there was no time, and most of it could not be put into words. How could she express the anguish she felt at leaving the closest thing she had to a family on Earth, even if she had to cut her ties with three of them in the end? How could she simplify her sorrow at being, once again, effectively banished? How could she encapsulate the past five years, the good and the bad, into a few sentences? She allowed her soulself to carry her away, her final message floating behind her in the wind.

"Goodbye."

* * *

Jinx stiffened and called up her hex energy when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Thankfully, for both her personal safety and her sex life, she looked down at _who_ was holding her before she could release her powers, relaxing when she recognized the sleeves. "You're late."

"My apologies. I will try to be more punctual in the future."

Hearing a difference in her lover's voice through the sarcasm, she twisted around and immediately spotted faint tear-tracks on Raven's face. "Oh, no. What happened?"

"It was time to tell the Titans about us. They… did not take it well."

"They threw you out, didn't they?"

Raven grimaced. "No, but only because I resigned before they could do so. Richard, Garfield, and Koriand'r then decided they would rather fight than allow me to simply walk away. I won, but…"

"But it feels even worse than if you had lost," she finished. "I felt the same after that last battle with the Brotherhood of Evil. Do you want to postpone the party? The guys and I won't mind."

"You have done so much for me already, I do not wish to ruin a chance for you to have some fun. Besides, I feel better, lighter, even with the pain; it is like scouring an infected wound so that it may finally heal. I just need time to come to terms with everything."

She leaned in and gently kissed Raven's mouth, then nose, then each cheek. Returning for one final peck on the lips, she looked at the slight smile on the former Titan's face. "It'll probably sink in when you're asleep. Stay with me tonight."

"If I do, I will not wish to sleep alone tomorrow."

She looped an arm around Raven's waist, guiding the woman to the kitchen. "I don't have a problem with that. I'm your girlfriend, good times or bad, and that means your happiness is one of my main priorities. It's just easier when we want the same thing, like now." With that, she opened the doors so Raven could see her celebration.

"You do not…" The sorceress trailed off as she stared at the food laid out before her. Numerous dishes from different cultures, courtesy of the supermarket's international aisle, made up most of the options, but there were also steaks, Jinx's HIVE-famous chili, and normal party fare. Even with Mammoth's enormous appetite, the four of them would be eating leftovers for days. Tears flowed down Raven's face again, but the pinkette knew these were from joy rather than sorrow. The sorceress whispered, "An Ascension feast?"

"That's what you told me Azarathians do. At least you can't say I never listen," she said, resting her chin on Raven's shoulder from behind.

"No, I shall never say that. Where are the boys?"

"They're killing time in the gym; I said I'd call them when you got here. Before I do, though," she pointed at the corner holding the gifts, "unwrap your presents. The guys wanted to, and I quote, _'avoid the squealing'_."

Raven frowned and crossed the room, where she methodically unwrapped the box on top of the small pile. When she saw what it contained, her mouth dropped open. "Jinx, thank you. Would I be incorrect in assuming all of these are related?"

"Nope. Go ahead and get rid of that old uniform; it's _so_ yesterday." The half-demon laughed and pulled out the blue floor-length dress Jinx had found the previous week. She knew Raven would love it, which was why it was first in line.

Of course, she stopped her girlfriend once the leotard hit the floor, and not just to ogle the woman's naked body, either. "Okay, I understand that you're trying for the 'bad girl' image, but we really need to have a talk with whoever did your artwork. It looks like you went to an epileptic drunk."

"Artwork? Oh, you mean these," Raven said while tapping the wine-colored lines running over her entire body. "They developed when I completed my Ascension, which necessitated merging with my demonic half. You remember the Prophecy concerning the end of the world I mentioned, yes? This is it, written in infernal runes. They shone from my skin when Trigon came to this dimension, and I decided to take them back up."

"Why?"

"To constantly remind myself of who and what I am; what I am capable of, both good and bad." Her voice softened as she slipped into her gift. "That everything comes with a price, one that may not be apparent until all is done."

Jinx almost felt like crying herself, but she had the presence of mind to distract herself with how good the sorceress looked in the tight clothing. The outfit had a halter top attached to a high collar, allowing pale skin to be seen where it was missing the shoulders and upper back. There were also long strips cut out of the sides to reveal both legs and a broad expanse of flesh above Raven's hips, though an unseen piece of fabric connected the front and back, preserving her modesty. "Well, how do I look?"

"Good enough to eat," the thief murmured. "Let me grab the guys; much as I want to be naughty, we should have real food before we move on to dessert."

* * *

"…_And the question on everyone's minds is, what does Raven's defection mean for the Titans as a whole? Will they be able to go on without the woman who our footage shows to be their secret heavy-hitter, or does this spell the end of Jump City's protectors? Either way, we are waiting for the mayor's and Robin's joint press conference tomorrow with bated breath. Back to you, Becky."_

A shadowed figure leaned back and switched off the screen, fingers idly tapping the arm of the chair. This turn of events was a surprise, and he did not like surprises. The Titans would certainly be weaker without the Daughter of Trigon backing them, a boon if there ever was one, but he would be unable to track the girl should she depart via her teleportation, which he was sure she would. She was a half-demon and therefore not someone to trifle with or leave unmonitored. The three minor criminals with her were of no consequence.

Nevertheless, there were definite advantages. Perhaps with her gone, there would no longer be wary eyes watching the museum. Too many shipments had disappeared before he could reclaim them, and she was his primary suspect. His plans had been delayed for over a year because of that, and he was anxious to finally get underway.

Running off would not turn her into a threat, now that he thought the situation through. It was unlikely that she could find a position protecting another city; not only was she was in far too deep with her new friends to do so, the public thrashing of her ex-team was being broadcast throughout the entire country. That amount of power, always present but never seen, would not be left unchallenged by the Justice League, the Honorary Titans, or a number of other heroic organizations. Raven's only chance for safety now was to go to ground, hide herself away until she could create a new identity and live an unpowered, civilian life. The man chuckled; the greatest threat to his goals had removed herself from the board of her own volition, leaving his path to victory clear.

"Yes, this will be to my advantage after all. Let the games… begin."

* * *

"Do you have a minute?" Jinx stifled her laughter as the middle-aged yet athletic-looking man behind the desk jumped in surprise. She was much less amused when he whipped out a pistol and pointed it at her despite them being invisible.

"You can either reveal yourself or be shot. Make your choice quickly."

She nodded at Raven, who dismissed the spell. The magic involved blocked a lot of light, so she had to blink a few times for her vision to return to normal. "Colonel Miguel Ruiz?"

"That's me." Now that he could see them, he relaxed marginally but kept her in line with the gun's barrel. She was the spokeswoman for the group, so she would grudgingly admit that was a sensible response. "Is there a reason you tried to sneak into my office?"

"Hey, we didn't _try_ to sneak in, we succeeded. But yeah, there's a reason. You're in charge of recruitment for the Perseus Initiative along the West Coast; well, here are four recruits."

"I see. You have me at a disadvantage, I'm afraid. Who are you?"

"I'm Jinx, and this is Mam —" She cut herself off in irritation as he rose from his chair and stepped to the file cabinets behind him. At least he was no longer aiming at her.

After a few moments of searching, he pulled a thick file out of the drawer and returned to the desk. Opening it, he scanned the top page and looked back to them. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Nirupama Dasgupta." She gaped at him; she hadn't expected for him to have a file on her, let alone one with her birth name. "You two as well, Mr. Baran Flinders, Mr. Mikron O'Jeneus."

_The HIVE did its best to disassociate our aliases and crimes from our real names. If they know __**that**__, what else do they know? How long have they been keeping tabs on us?_

"Your name truly is Mikron O'Jeneus?" Raven asked incredulously.

Gizmo snorted. "Well, yeah. What, you thought I was lying?"

"Honestly, yes."

"He hasn't been lying about that since it was legally changed six years ago," the officer said. "He was born Michael O'Toole."

"Kinda see why you'd change it," Baran rumbled.

"Though it is still too convenient for my mind," Raven added. "'Tool'?"

Ruiz shrugged away the glare he got from Gizmo. "And you would be Raven, legal name Rachel Roth, formerly of the vigilante group called the Teen Titans, yes? How a heroine fell in with a trio of thieves must be quite the story."

"_Former_ thieves," Jinx corrected, pulling his attention back to her. "We've decided to go on the straight and narrow. That's why we're here."

"I see. I don't believe I can help you, to be honest. An important requirement to enter the Initiative is a clean background check, and only one of you would be acceptable based on that alone."

"Our criminal records have been totally expunged."

"And a bleached record is supposed to be impressive? The rulings of crooked judges alone will not convince me to make an allowance for your team, Ms. Dasgupta."

"So what will?" Raven asked. When the rest stared at her in confusion, she continued, "Your words imply that there is _something_ we can do to convince you. What would that be?"

He looked closely at the sorceress for a few moments, then pressed an unobtrusive button on a speaker sitting on the desk. "Sheila, please have the men outside stand down. The situation is under control."

"_You're sure, sir?"_

"Everything's just peachy." Moving his arm back to where it had laid, he asked, "Why is it, Ms. Roth, that _you_ weren't the one to open our discussion?"

"Jinx leads this team, Colonel Ruiz, not I. It is only appropriate that she address you first."

"I see." Ruiz leaned back in his chair and examined them for a long minute; Raven was the only one not fidgeting when he spoke again, his expression stony. "Very well. The four of you will be expected at Fort Pell in Montana in two days, where you will undergo an abbreviated basic training regimen. Depending on if and how quickly you complete this and any specialist training your superior officers recommend, you will be discharged and hired in six weeks to a year from now. Should you fail your basic or be deemed a disruptive element, you will be tried and convicted in a military tribunal for espionage and subsequently imprisoned."

"Wait, that's it?" Jinx asked, ignoring the threat for the moment. They could freak over the high stakes involved in playing with the big kids from the safety of their base later. "You just said you couldn't make an allowance for our records."

"The requirement I spoke of is fiction to lure in who we want. Allow me to be frank; besides the rare exception like Ms. Roth here, metahumans without a record are absolutely useless as mercenaries. They are too passive, too used to blending in and going with the flow in order to protect their secret. The best individuals for this program are those like yourselves: metas trained in some form of combat who truly wish to leave the criminal life behind and will do just about anything to realize that desire. The President will grant full pardons to each of you, provisional on you serving for at least," this time he flipped through the file containing what she could only guess were copies of their outstanding warrants and convictions judging by his frown, "six years. Get the address for Fort Pell from my secretary on your way out. If you are not there within the permitted timeframe —"

"Lemme guess: military tribunal, espionage, quietly disappearing into a prison no one knows exists?"

"More or less." He smiled, and any idea she had that this desk jockey was a _'nice guy'_ flew right out the window. "Remember, two days. Now get out."

"That's not a lot of time. We have belongings to pack up, an apartment —"

"Not my concern. If you make a deal with the devil, Ms. Dasgupta, be prepared to pay the price. Welcome to the Perseus Initiative."

* * *

**For a picture of Raven's dress, search for her on Wikipedia. It's the first image you find. See you soon!**

**Silently Watches out.**


End file.
